H 


1  1 


" 


MEMOIRS 


MRS       COGHLAN, 


DAUGHTER  OF  THE  LATE  MAJOR  MONCRIEFFE : 


WRITTEN  BY  HERSELF. 


INTRODUCTION    AND    NOTES. 

PRIVATELY      REPRINTED. 
NEW-YORK  : 

T.     H.     MORRELL. 

1864-. 


Edition   100  copies  8vo. 
20       "       410. 


J.    M.     BRADSTREET    &    SON,     PRINTERS. 


Stack 
Annex 


INTRODUCTION. 


'"PHE  following  Memoirs  were  publifhed  in 
London  in  1794.  In  February,  1795,  Meflrs. 
T.  &  J.  Swords,  of  this  city,  republifhed  them, 
adding  a  Preface,  and  fome  remarks  from  a  publi- 
cation entitled  "  The  Female  Jockey  Club." 

The  New- York  edition  is  now  very  rare,  <and 
moft  of  the  copies  known  to  us  are  without  the 
preface  and  remarks. 

The  following  edition  has  been  printed  from 
the  author's  copy,  and,  for  the  convenience  of 
thofe  perfons  pofTeffing  the  New-York  edition 
above  mentioned,  the  preface  and  remarks  have 
been  reprinted. 

NEW-YORK,  November  10,  1864. 


PREFACE, 

BY  THE  EDITOR  OF  THE  NEW-YORK  EDITION. 

"pVERY  heart  of  fenfibility  muft  not  only  be 
interefted  in  the  welfare  of  the  author  of  the 
following  Memoirs,  but  muft  be  confiderably 
affected  on  a  perufal  of  them,  as  they  pourtray  a 
mind  naturally  focial,  amiable  and  virtuous, 
ftruggling  againft  misfortunes  originating  from 
the  abfurd  practice  of  obliging  children  to  fac- 
rifice  affection,  and  confequently  happinefs,  to 
fordid  pelf,  or,  what  is  of  infinite  lefs  value,  a 
titled  name.  The  author's  fentiments  on  this 
fubject,  which  have  been  powerfully  imprefled- by 
woeful  experience ;  her  reflections  on  the  inhu- 
man fufferings  of  unfortunate  debtors  in  prifon, 

which 


PREFACE. 

which  may  perhaps,  in  many  inftances,  be  too 
applicable  to  her  native  country  ;  her  expofition 
of  the  iniquitous  practice  of  law  in  England, 
the  jurifprudence  of  which  country  America  fer- 
vilely  copies,  convince  the  editor  of  the  utility 
of  a  republication  of  the  work  in  this  country. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  circumftance  of  her 
unfortunate  marriage  will  have  its  due  weight, 
and  that  thofe  who  exercife  criticifm  will  not  be 
too  fevere  upon  her  conduct,  but  will  generouily 
be  to  her  faults  a  little  blind.  Her  friends  will 
undoubtedly  defpife  the  weak  prejudices  of  vul- 
gar minds,  fo  far  as  refpects  their  connection  or 
alliance  with  the  author.  The  public  advantage 
has  fuperfeded  every  other  confederation  with  the 
editor,  and  he  mall  exceedingly  regret  incurring 
the  difpleafure  of  any  by  republiming  thefe 
Memoirs. 

NEW-YORK,  February,  1795. 


PREFACE. 

The  following  encomiums  on  the  author  of  thefe 
Memoirs  have  appeared  in  the  "  Female  Jockey 
Club,"  which  the  publifher  of  this  American 
edition  inferts  as  a  tribute  of  praife  juftly  due 
to  that  noblenefs  of  foul  fo  confpicuous  in  the 
writer  : — 

MRS.    COGHLAN. 

We  have  not  the  leaft  acquaintance  with  this 
lady,  therefore  are  ignorant  how  far  her  rank 
entitles  her  to  be  admitted  into  that  fociety  of 
grandees  who  compofe  the  "  Female  Jockey 
Club  ;"  but  as  literary  merit,  in  the  opinion  of 
Lady  Lucan,  our  fupreme  arbiter  of  etiquette, 
forms  an  exception  to  the  general  rule,  and 
yields  a  right  of  admiffion  into  the  grandeft 
circles,  we  have  not  hefitated  to  introduce  her  ; 
and  we  will  venture  boldly  to  pronounce,  if  her 
foul  really  breathe  the  fentiments  contained  in 
the  Memoirs  fhe  has  publifhed,  that  me  poflefles 

titles 


PREFACE. 

titles  far  fuperior  to  any  which  all  the  kings  in 
the  world  have  it  in  their  power  to  beftow; 
although,  at  the  fame  time,  we  are  ready  to  con- 
fefs,  that  it  is  not  by  promulgating  fimilar  doc- 
trines me  is  to  expect  that  his  Majefty  will  ever 
make  a  LADY  of  her;  nor  do  we  believe  that 
they  will  procure  her  a  pafTport  to  the  favour 
and  protection  (he  appears  fo  very  much  to 
want.  We  therefore  recommend  patience  under 
prefent  adverfity,  and  fincerely  wifh  a  fpeedy 
period  to  all  her  afflictions. 


MEMOIRS 


OF 


MRS.      COGHLAN, 

(Daughter  of  the  late  Major  Moncrieffe,) 

WRITTEN    BT    HERSELF, 
AND 

Dedicated     to     the     Britifh     Nation  ; 


BEING     INTERSPERSED     WITH 


ANECDOTES 


OF    THE     LATE 


AMERICAN    AND     PRESENT     FRENCH     WAR, 


WITH     REMARKS     MORAL    AND    POLITICAL. 


"  And  what  is  friendihip  but  a  name, 

"  A  charm  that  lulls  to  deep — 
"  A  lhade  that  follows  wealth  and  fame, 

"  But  leaves  the  wretch  to  weep  ?" —  GOLDSM. 


LONDON: 

Printed    for    the    AUTHOR, 
And  SOLD  by  C.  and  G.  KEARSLEY,  Fleet-street. 


MD.CC.XCTV. 


NAMES 

OF  THE 

PRINCIPAL    CHARACTERS 

IN  THESE 

MEMOIRS. 


Majefty, 
Louis  the  XVIth, 
Due  d'Orleans, 
Comte  d'Artois, 
Monfieur, 

Due  de  Montmorenci, 
Due  de  Pienne, 
Marquis  de  Sillery, 
Marquis  de  Genlis, 
Monfieur  de  Lomprey, 
Due  de  Fitzjames, 
Monfieur  Parquet,  premier  Prefident  of  the  Par- 

liament of  Paris, 
Monfieur  de  Crofne, 
Madame  Grey,  Superior  of  the  Dominican  Con- 

vent at  Calais, 

Madame 


Madame  Smith, 
Madame  Lafar, 

His  Royal  Highnefs  the  Duke  of , 

His  Grace  the  Duke  of  Leinfter, 

Lord  Charlemont, 

Mr.  Grattan, 

The  Honourable  Mr.  Fox, 

Lord  Lauderdale, 

Lord  Cornwallis, 

General  Monckton, 

General  Cornwallis, 

General  Montgomery, 

General  Waihington, 

General  Putnam, 

General  Mifflin, 

General  Knox, 

Sir  William  Howe, 

Lord  Howe, 

Lord  Amherft, 

General  Gage, 

Lord  Gage, 

Lord  Lincoln, 

The  late  Duke  of  Bolton, 

Lord  Delawar, 

Colonel  Etherington, 

Major  Montrefor, 

Colonel  Small, 

Honourable  Colonel  Grey, 

Colonel  Banker, 

Judge  Livingfton, 

Mr. 


Mr.  William  Livingfton, 
Colonel  Webb, 

Duke  of  Q y, 

Mr.  Frederick  Jay, 

Major  MoncriefFe, 

Edward  Cornwallis  MoncrifFe, 

Alderman  MoncriefFe, 

Colonel  MoncriefFe, 

Governor  Heron, 

Mr.  Vining, 

Mr.  Fazakerley, 

Mr.  Giffard,  of  Chillington, 

Mr.  Coghlan, 

Mr.  Walker,  late  Marmal  of  the  King  s  Bench, 

Mr.  Jones,  the  prefent  Marmal, 

Mr.  Robert  Knight, 

Mr.  Beckett, 

Colonel  Freemantle, 

General  Sheriff, 

Colonel  Kemble, 

Prince  Louis  d'Aremberg, 

Lord  Hervey, 

Mr.  B******, 

Sir  Charles  Gould, 

Mr.  Chambers,  Furnival's  Inn, 

Mr. ,  Ely  Place, 

Duke  of  Northumberland, 
Honourable  Mrs.  Gage, 
Mrs.  Montrefor, 
Mrs.  Putnam, 

Mrs. 


Mrs.  Wafhington, 
Sir  William  Scott, 
Lady  Blake, 
Mr.  M  —  g  —  y, 
Mr.  Erfkine, 
Lord  E  -  , 
General 


Sir  Robert  Harland,  Bart., 
Marquis  de  Bouille. 


PREFACE 


JL\. MIDST  the  tempeft  that  now  rages  in  the 
political  world,  the  cabals  of"  faction  and  the  ter- 
rors of  revolution,  the  private  forrows  of  an  in- 
dividual pafs  unregarded.  The  moft  fplendid 
contributions  are  raifed  for  fupport  of  foreign 
refugees  ;  loans  and  benevolences,  to  an  amazing 
extent,  are  pioufly,  if  not  constitutionally,  fur- 
nifhed,  to  fupply  the  wants  of  our  fuffering 
troops ;  and  all  the  paflions  inherent  in  the  hu- 
man breaft  are  awakened  and  fet  in  motion,  to 
give  a  pompous  difplay  to  the  humility  and 
meaknefs  of  tender-hearted  Charity. 

We  read  of  titled  individuals  beftowing  hun- 
dreds 


dreds  in  behalf  of  emigrant  Popifh  Priefts,  while 
ONE  SOLITARY  GUINEA  is  prefixed  to  the  fame 
names  in  fupport  of  their  own  countrymen,  poor, 
induftrious,  famifhed  manufacturers  !  * 

Our  ftreets  fwarm  with  beggars:  our  looms  are 
deferted ; — Poverty  every  where  raifes  her  hag- 
gard mien  amongft  us ;  at  the  fame  time  that  na- 
tional treafures  are  indifcriminately  lavifhed  with 
profufion  upon  foreigners,  and  expended  in  the 
further  profecution  of  a  moft  difaftrous  war; 
whereby  the  fund  of  wretchednefs  is  daily  aug- 
mented ;  and  the  fpeclacles  of  mifery  that  torture 
the  fight  in  all  our  ftreets  proclaim  the  fatal  con- 
fequences  it  has  already  produced,  and  the  abfo- 
lute  neceflity  of  putting  a  period  to  the  evil. 

The  baneful  effects  attending  this  calamity  fall 
principally  on  the  poor  and  induftrious  clafTes  of 
fociety ;  they  extend  themfelves  even  unto  my- 

felf: 

*  A  fubfcription  now  on  foot  for  the  benefit  of  the  Spitalfields  weavers. 


felf :  the  luxuries  of  the  great  will  eafily  admit  of 
curtailment,  but  the  wants  of  the  poor  call  aloud 
for  redrefs.  Yet,  as  the  former  find  themfelves 
in  fome  meafure  called  on  to  reduce  the  number 
of  their  fuperfluities  from  the  many  claims  which 
the  exigency  of  public  affairs  has  upon  them,  fo 
are  they  lefs  difposed  to  follow  the  dictates  of 
Charity  in  relieving  the  pangs  of  domeftic  woe. 

There  exifts  another  defcription  of  the  great, 
who  thrive  on  the  misfortunes  which  the  prefent 
fystem  creates,  without  directing  a  thought  to 
their  alleviation  :  I  allude  to  the  vaft  additional 
number  of  contractors,  commifTaries,  penfioners 
and  human  locufts  of  every  kind,  preying  on  the 
decayed  vitals  of  their  country.  Thefe  men  drain 
immenfe  fortunes  from  the  increafe  of  public  bur- 
thens, and  in  every  new  tax,  originates  a  new 
place,  whereby  the  fcale  of  influence  is  alarmingly 
increafed. 

Hence  princes  and  their  miniflers  are  apt  to 

delight 


delight  in  war  :  it  furnifhes  them  with  a  pretext 
for  adding  to  their  military  eftablimments  :  the 
fplendor  of  the  throne  mines  brighter,  and  they 
conceive  that  they  enjoy  a  more  perfect  ftate  of 
fecurity,  from  the  immenfe  armies  they  retain  in 
their  pay. 

Wretched,  however,  is  the  prince  who  refts  his 
hope  on  fuch  foundation  :  the  NORTHERN  DES- 
POTS of  Europe  can  have  no  other  bails  than 
military  force,  on  which  to  depend  for  the  prefer- 
vation  of  their  tyranny ;  but  the  KING  of  a  FREE 
country  mould  look  to  other  principles  :  he 
mould  depend  for  the  prefervation  of  HIS  power 
on  the  peace,  happirtefs,  choice,  and  affections  of 
an  united  people. 

While  the  bulk  of  a  nation  is  diftrefled,  a  vir- 
tuous prince  can  never  enjoy  a  moment's  content ; 
he  cannot  depart  from  his  thremold,  that  he  does, 
not  meet  fome  object  of  calamity,  to  ftrew  thorns 
in  his  way.  He  muft  reflect  on  the  enormous 

falary 


falary  that  he  himfelf  receives,  the  magnificence 
and  wafle  by  which  he  is  fur  rounded,  while  fo 
many  forlorn  wretches  are  periming  through  want 
of  the  fmalleft  part  of  thofe  fuperfluities  daily 
confumed  within  his  own  palace. 

The  writer  of  the  following  meets,  nurfed  in 
the  lap  of  tendereft  Indulgence,  fprung  from  a 
father  whofe  attachment  to  A  KING  even  fuper- 
feded  the  duties  he  owed  to  HIS  COUNTRY  :  me 
who  once  bafked  in  the  funfhine  of  Fortune  has 
lately  herfelf  ftruggled  with  all  the  miferies  me 
has  endeavoured  to  defcribe. 

Affliction  cuts  the  deeper  from  a  recollection  of 
former  enjoyments  :  the  memory  of  paft  joys 
fharpens  the  fenfe  of  her  prefent  fufferings  :  (he 
once  little  dreamed  of  thofe  fcenes  of  horror 
through  which  me  has  pafled  ;  me  little  antici- 
pated, that  whenever  me  mould  have  occafion  for 
the  WORLD'S  affiftance,  the  world  would  with-hold 
it  from  her.  She  had  fondly  imagined,  that 

2  every 


(     xii     ) 

everyone  was  her  FRIEND;  nor  was  the  veil  of 
deception  withdrawn,  till,  alas  !  me  had  occafion 
for  its  friendfhip  : — Then  the  very  perfons  who 
had  been  moft  anxious  to  court  her  fmiles,  who 
had  beguiled  her  with  their  delufive  flatteries, 
who  had  encouraged  her  errors  and  foothed  her 
vices,  were  the  firft  to  keep  aloof  and  fhun  the 
wretchednefs  they  had  helped  to  accomplim. — 
They  who  had  been  the  bofom  friends  of  her 
father,  refufed  even  to  hear  the  haplefs  tale  of  his 
ill-fated  child  :  nor  did  his  unfhaken  zeal  in  the 
caufe  of  HIS  SOVEREIGN  ever  produce  to  his 
daughter  the  recompence  of  a  milling  from  the 
Englim  government. 

Thefe  are  the  reflections  of  one  undifturbed 
by  the  frenzy  of  party  conflicts,  and  only  zealous 
in  the  general  caufe  of  humanity — They  are  the 
reflections  of  a  woman,  chaftened  in  Affliction's 
fchool,  reftored  to  reafon  by  the  wholefome  leflbns 

me 


fhe  has  received  from  that  moft  inftructive  of  all 
monitors, — Adverfity  ! 

Want,   worldly  want,  that  hungry  meagre  fiend, 
Is   at   her  heels,  and   chafes   her  in  view.* 

To  drive  off  this  fiend,  alas  !  me  has  no  other 
hope,  than  from  the  advantage  me  may  derive 
from  this  faint  production  of  her  pen.  The  per- 
fpective  which  the  world  now  prefents  to  her  view 
is  gloomy  indeed  :  neverthelefs,  it  would  be  great- 
ly brightened,  if  fhe  conceived  that  her  example 
might  ferve  as  a  beacon  to  others  of  her  fex. 

Oh  !  may  the  generous  character  of  the  Britifh 
nation,  which  has  fo  often  fhone  refplendent  in 
acts  of  amiable  benevolence,  long  preferve  its 
luftre  !  may  it  wipe  off  thofe  tears,  calculated  to 
fade  the  cheek  of  Beauty  !  may  no  political  dif- 
cord,  no  party  rage  ever  obfcure  it !  and  while 

GALLIA'S 

*  Venice  Preferved. 


GALLIA'S  refraclory  fons  are  revelling  on  the 
fruits  of  Britifh  benevolence,  let  it  not  be  faid 
that  Britannia's  own  legitimate  children  ever  figh- 
ed  or  wept  in  vain. 

MARGARET  COGHLAN. 

December  7,   1793. 


MEMOIRS 


OF 


MRS.    COGHLAN. 


CAPTAIN   Patrick   Heron,   my  grandfather, 

was  quartered  with  his  regiment  at  Portfmouth, 
where  he  made  a  conqueft  of  Mifs  E.  Vining, 
daughter  of  Mr.  John  Vining,*  who  was  at  that 
period  mayor  of  the  town. — The  lady  in  queftion 
was  born  to  a  very  considerable  fortune. 

My  grandfather  being  a  young  man  and  a  fol- 
dier,  it  was  a  match  quite  contrary  to  the  inclina- 
tion of  the  old  gentleman,  Mr.  Vining,  who  ufed 
all  poflible  means  to  prevent  its  taking  place; 

but 


*  A  beautiful  monument  is  eredled  in  St.  Thomas  church,  Portfmouth,  to 
the  memory  of  this  gentleman,  dating  him  to  have  been  fix  times  mayor  of 
that  town. 


16 


but  love,  almighty  love  fets  every  obftacle  at  de- 
fiance, and  is  always  fure  to  furnifh  means  ade- 
quate to  its  ends.  An  elopement  to  Scotland  was 
the  refult  of  Mr.  Vining's  obftinacy  ;  from  Cap- 
tain Heron's  paternal  feat  in  that  country,  Mifs 
V.  acquainted  her  father  with  this  act  of  her  dif- 
obedience,  and  implored  his  forgivenefs.  The 
late  Duke  of  Bolton  and  the  late  Lord  Delawar 
became  mediators  with  him,  and  their  mediation 
induced  Mr.  Vining  to  relax  from  his  feverity. 

The  firft  ftep  towards  reconciliation,  was  to 
write  a  letter  to  my  grandfather,  exprefling  his 
reafons  for  difapproving  the  marriage,  but  at  the 
fame  time  intreating  him  to  quit  Scotland,  and 
bring  home  his  bride.  In  this  letter  he  propofed 
to  fettle  a  handfome  fortune  on  her  as  her  mar- 
riage portion,  together  with  Vicars-Hill,  a  de- 
lightful feat  in  the  new  foreft  near  Lymington.  — 
Here  my  grandfather  lived  in  the  greateft  fplen- 
dor  for  feveral  years  :  his  houfe  was  the  univerfal 
receptacle  of  happinefs,  where  the  rich  were  en- 
tertained with  magnificent  profufion,  and  where 
the  wretched  always  found  comfort  and  protec- 

tion. 


(  I?  ) 

tion.  In  the  courfe  of  years,  Mrs.  Heron  was 
the  mother  of  nine  children  ;  from  one  of  whom 
Captain  Mark  Robinfon  (fon  of  Admiral  Robin- 
fon)  is  a  defcendant :  Captain  Miller,  of  the  ma- 
rines, married  one  of  his  fitters,  and  there  are 
feveral  other  fons  now  living.  The  liberal  mind 
of  my  grandfather  frequently  involved  him  in 
difagreeable  embarrarTments  ;  one  of  which  oblig- 
ed him  to  abandon  his  country  and  friends  :  he 
was  one  evening  in  a  coffee-houfe  at  Lymington, 
perufing  the  newfpapers,  when  a  perfon  by  the 
name  of  Boyes  applied  to  him,  faying,  "  Captain 
"  Heron,  I  am  a  ruined  man,  mould  you  refufe 
"  the  favour  I  am  about  to  requeft;  having  a 
"quantity  of  cyder  juft  landed,  I  really  have  no 
"  place  wherein  to  depofit  it  for  the  night ;  will 
"  you  give  me  permiffion  to  lodge  it  in  your  cel- 
"  lar  ?"  Upon  which  my  grandfather  confented, 
and  fent  to  his  butler  for  the  key  of  the  cellar, 
where  the  Juppofed  cyder  was  no  fooner  placed 
than  an  excifeman  arrived,  who  had  either  fol- 
lowed it  himfelf,  or  had  received  information 
where  it  lay  :  he  told  my  grandfather,  "that  there 
"  had  been  fecreted  in  his  cellar  one  hundred  and 

"  fifty 


(      18     ) 

"  fifty  tierces  of  brandy,  and  that  he  muft  fearch 
"for  them:"  whereon  Captain  Heron  replied, 
"  that  he  mould  not  enter  bis  premifes."  The 
excifeman  perfifted,  and  notwithstanding  a  fevere 
beating  which  he  received  from  the  fervants,  he 
forced  the  door  of  the  cellar,  where  he  difcover- 
ed  the  brandy.  EmbarrafTed  by  this  difcovery, 
my  grandfather  flew  to  his  father-in-law,  the 
mayor  of  Portfmouth,  and  acquainting  him  with 
what  had  happened,  afked  his  advice ;  when  the 
mayor  was  of  opinion,  that  he  ought  to  conceal 
himfelf  until  he  wrote  to  the  minifter  to  folicit 
fome  indulgence.  He  purfued  this  advice,  and 
received  for  anfwer,  that  a  capias  had  been  iflued 
againft  him,  at  the  fuit  of  the  excife  office,  for  the 
enormous  Jum  of  twenty  thoufand  pounds;  that  he 
could  give  no  other  counfel,  than  for  him  inftant- 
ly  to  join  the  fortieth  regiment,  in  which  he  had 
a  company,  and  which  then  was  Rationed  at  An- 
napolis-Royal. Thither  he  went,  leaving  his 
wife  at  Vicars-Hill,  with  her  children,  where  me 
died  broken  hearted  fix  months  after  his  depart- 
ure. Such  are  the  cruelties  that  for  ever  flow 
from  excife  laws  ! — He  had  not  been  long  at  An- 
napolis, 


(     '9     ) 

napolis,  when  he  was  appointed  governor  of  that 
place,  which  fituation  he  held  at  the  time  of  his 
deceafe. 

Here    he    married    Mifs    Margaret  Jephfon, 
daughter  of  Captain  Jephfon,   belonging  to  the 
fortieth  regiment,  by  whom  he  had  Margaret  my 
mother.    On   the  death  of  my   grandfather,   his 
widow  went  from  Annapolis  to  Halifax,  in  order 
to  take  a  paffage  for  Cork,  where  me  intended  to 
fettle   amongft  her  own  friends.      Major   Mon- 
crieffe,  my  father,  who  was   then  aid-de-camp  to 
General  Monckton,  married  her  eldeft  daughter. 
Her  mother  and    the    other  children  remained 
with  them  one  month ;  after  which  they  failed  for 
Ireland,  and  almoft  within   fight  of  the  harbour 
of  Cork  the  veflel  foundered,  and  every  foul  per- 
ifhed.     Owing  to  this  fad  event,  my  brother,  Ed- 
ward Cornwallis  MoncriefFe,  and  myfelf,   are  the 
only  furvivors  of  that  marriage ;  and  by  the  will 
of  my  grandfather,  proved  in  the  prerogative  court 
of  Canterbury,  we  are  the  lawful  heirs  to  all  his 
property.    The  eftate   in   Scotland   is  computed 
to  be  worth ^u<?  thoujand pounds  per  annum;   and 

3     •  that 


that  at  Lymington  is  of  confiderable  value,  but 
at  prefent  it  is  in  the  pofleffion  of  my  mother's 
half  brothers  and  their  children,  whofe  names  I 
have  already  mentioned. 

My  mother  was  efteemed  a  beautiful  woman ;  me 
was  a  wife  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  and  in  her  grave 
before  me  was  twenty,  leaving  my  brother  and 
myfelf  unprotected  infants. — -My  father  was  lilce- 
wife  a  very  young  man,  and  at  that  time  only 
a  lieutenant  in  the  army,  although  aid-de-camp 
to  the  commander  in  chief,  Sir  Jeffery,  now  Lord 
Amherft.  General  Gage,  who  had  a  fincere  friend- 
fhip  for  him,  propofed  that  his  children  mould 
take  up  their  abode  at  his  houfe,  where  we  were 
nurfed  under  the  general's  immediate  infpection, 
maring  the  fame  attention  with  his  own  children; 
and,  the  prefent  Lord  Gage  was  the  companion 
of  my  infant  years.  My  father,  however,  refolv- 
ed  to  fend  my  brother  and  myfelf  for  education 
to  Dublin.  At  the  age  of  three  years,  I  was  fent 
acrofs  the  Atlantic  Ocean ;  my  brother  being 
then  only  five  years  old.  On  our  arrival  in  Dub- 
lin, I  was  fent  to  Mifs  Beard's  boarding-fchool, 

and 


(       41       ) 

and  my  brother  to  the  Hibernian  Academy  :  here 
I  remained  without  feeing  my  father  until  I  was 
eight  years  old,  when  he  returned  from  America, 
and  was  quartered  in  Dublin  with  his  regiment, 
the  55th,  in  which  he  had  then  a  company.  He 
brought  with  him  the  daughter  of  Judge  Living- 
fton,  of  New-York,  to  whom  he  had  been  fome 
time  married  :  the  perfon  of  this  lady  was  uncom- 
monly forbidding,  but  her  purje  was  irreiiftible. 
Young  as  I  was,  I  did  not  like  my  new  mother ; 
me  had,  as  I  above  remarked,  the  moft  difagree- 
able  countenance ;  and  what  is  worfe,  me  was  a 
ftranger  to  every  focial  virtue,  and  a  rigid  Prefby- 
terian.  My  father  having  exchanged  with  the 
Honourable  Colonel  Grey,  from  the  55th  to  the 
59th  regiment,  was  foon  afterwards  ordered  upon 
the  American  ftation,  and  appointed  Major  of 
Brigade  upon  the  ftaff :  the  importunities  of  my 
mother-in-law  were  exerted  to  induce  my  father 
to  take  me  back  with  them  to  New-York,  but  he 
had  previoufly  refolved  to  educate  me  in  Dublin, 
and  perfifted  in  the  intention  :  however,  in  the 
year  1772,  both  my  brother  and  myfelf  were  or- 
dered, by  letters  from  my  father,  to  return  to 

New- York, 


New-York,  where  we  landed  the  fame  year :  my 
brother  was  fent  to  the  college  in  that  city,  and 
I  remained  under  the  care  of  a  governefs.  In 
the  year  1774,  my  mother-in-law  died,  leaving  to 
my  father  her  fortune,  for  in  her  marriage  articles 
me  had  referved  to  herfelf  the  power  of  difpofing 
of  it.  Six  months  after  her  death,  my  father  took  to 
himfelf  another  wife,  one  of  the  loveliefl  of  her  fex. 
In  her  bofom,  virtue,  honour  and  conjugal  affec- 
tion were  blended  ;  but  alas  !  her  fate  deftined  her 
for  an  early  grave.  Ten  months  after  her  mar- 
riage, me  died  in  childbirth  of  her  infant  fon,  my 
youngeft  brother,  leaving  him  and  myfelf  under 
the  care  of  her  brother,  Mr.  Frederick  Jay,  who 
was  then  member  of  congrefs  for  the  province  of 
New-York  :  at  this  time  my  father  was  with  Gen- 
/  eral  Gage,  at  Bofton.  Thus  I  found  myfelf  in 
the  midft  of  republicans  in  war  againft  the  crown 
of  Great-Britain, — perfecuted  on  every  fide,  be- 
caufe  my  father  was  fighting  for  the  caufe  of  a 
king! — At  the  age  of  thirteen,  I  was  fent  to  board 
at  Elizabeth-Town,  New-Jerfey,  with  the  family 
of  an  American  Colonel,  where  I  was  forced  to 
hear  my  neareft  and  deareft  relations  continually 

traduced. 


traduced.  I  had  remained  in  the  houfe  of  this 
gentleman  feveral  months,  when  the  appearance 
of  General  Howe  at  Staten-Ifland  obliged  the  in- 
habitants of  Elizabeth-Town  to  feek  refuge  in  the 

o 

interior  part  of  the  country.  I  was  then  con- 
dueled,  with  Colonel  Banker's  wife,  to  a  village 
about  ten  miles  diftant ;  but  grieved  with  the 
gloomy  fcene  before  me,  I  availed  myfelf  of  the 
abfence  of  the  family  one  Sunday,  while  they  were 
at  church,  to  make  my  efcape :  I  rode  back  to 
Elizabeth-Town,  and  placed  myfelf  immediately 
under  the  care  of  a  lady*  (Mrs.  de  Hart)  whofe 
family  loved  me  from  my  tendered  infancy.  How- 
ever, I  was  not  allowed  to  remain  long  in  this 
retreat ;  the  congrefs,  particularly  that  part  of  it 
which  were  related  to  my  father  by  his  fecond  and 
third  WIVES,  fixed  their  attention  upon  me : — 
They  had  repeatedly,  at  the  commencement  of 
the  war,  offered  my  father  a  command  in  the  north- 
ern army,  a  fituation  which  was  afterwards  given  to 

General 


*  The  hufband  of  this  lady  was  member  of  the  continental  congrefs, 
and  immediately  refigned  his  fituation  on  the  independence  of  America 
being  declared. 


General  Montgomery,1  his  nephew.  Bigotted  to 
the  caufe  of  a  king,  my  father  rejected  their  offers, 
and  thus  we  loft  the  glorious  opportunity  of  add- 
ing the  laurel  of  patriotifm  to  a  name  high  in  the 
ranks  of  military  valour,  and  perhaps  unequalled 
in  military  fcience.  No  man  ever  ferved  the 
Britifh  monarch  with  more  fidelity,  or  fought  for 
him  with  greater  bravery :  but  I  was  very  near 
falling  a  victim  to  this  ftubborn  attachment. 
Walking  one  fultry  day  in  the  garden  of  my  pro- 
tectrefs,  I  was  befet  by  a  party  of  riflemen,  juft 
arrived  from  Pennfylvania,  who,  prefenting  their 
bayonets  to  my  breaft,  would  certainly  have  kill- 
ed me,  had  not  one  of  the  men  took  companion 
on  my  youth,  difcovering  in  my  features  fome- 
thing  which  conquered  his  favage  purpofe. — 
Thanks'  be  to  God  !  my  countrymen  did  not  com- 
mit an  act  which  certainly  would  have  ftained  the 
bright  immortal  caufe  of  liberty — a  caufe  that, 
I  glory  to  fay,  firft  ftruck  root  in  my  dear  native 
country,  and  which  is  now  expanding  its  branches 
through  the  whole  continent  of  Europe. 

My  beautiful  and  unfortunate  countrywoman, 

Mifs 


Mifs  M'Rea,'  experienced  a  far  different  fate:  me, 
alas  !  found  no  mercy ;  her  charms  ferved  only  to 
ftimulate  the  furious  paffions  of  her  brutal  ra- 
vifhers  :  arrayed  in  her  bridal  robes,  awaiting  the 
arrival  of  him,  the  lover,  who  was  to  crown  her 
joys,  in  the  fight  of  a  Briti/h  Joldiery ,  under  the 
command  of  Britijh  officers,  me  was  three  times 
violated  by  Canadian  favages  in  Britijh  pay,  and 
afterwards,  (oh  horrible  to  relate!)  in  cold  blood, 
Jcalped  and  murdered  ! 

Delivered  from  the  only  favages  I  ever  met 
amongft  my  own  countrymen,  I  applied  for  protec- 
tion to  Mr.  William  Livingfton,3  my  firft  ftep- 
mother's  brother,  who  was  the  governor  of  New- 
Jerfey.  He  behaved  to  me  with  harfhnefs,  and 
even  added  infult  to  his  reproaches.  Thus  def- 
titute  of  friends,  I  wrote  to  General  Putnam, 
who  inftantly  anfwered  my  letter  by  a  very  kind 
invitation  to  his  houfe,  alluring  me,  that  he  re- 
fpected  my  father,  and  was  only  his  enemy  in  the 
field  of  battle ;  but  that  in  private  life,  he  him- 
felf,  or  any  part  of  his  family,  might  always  com- 
mand his  fervices.  On  the  next  day,  he  fent 

Colonel 


Colonel  Webb,  one  of  his  aid-de-camps,  to  conduct 
me  to  New- York.  When  I  arrived  in  Broadway 
(a  ftreet  fo  called)  where  General  Putnam  refided, 
I  was  received  with  the  greateft  tendernefs  both 
by  Mrs.  Putnam  and  her  daughters,  and  on  the 
following  day  I  was  introduced  by  them  to  Gen- 
eral and  Mrs.  Wafhington,  who  likewife  made 
it  their  ftudy  to  mew  me  every  mark  of  regard ; 
but  I  feldom  was  allowed  to  be  alone,  although 
fometimes  indeed  I  found  an  opportunity  to  ef- 
cape  to  the  gallery  on  the  top  of  the  houfe,* 
where  my  chief  delight  was  to  view  with  a  tele- 
fcope  our  fleet  and  army  at  Staten-Ifland.  My 
amufements  were  few ;  the  good  Mrs.  Putnam 
employed  me  and  her  daughters  conftantly  to 
fpin  flax  for  fliirts  for  the  American  foldiery ; 
indolence  in  America  being  totally  difcouraged  ; 
and  I  likewife  worked  fome  for  General  Putnam, 
who,  though  not  an  accomplimed  Mufcadiny  like 
our  Dilletantis  of  St.  James's-ftreet,  was  certain- 
ly one  of  the  beft  characters  in  the  world,  his 

heart 


Almoft  every  gentleman's  houfe  in  New- York  has  a  gallery,    with  a 
fummer-houfe,  on  the  top. 


(     27     ) 

heart  being  compofed  of  thofe  noble  materials 
which  equally  command  refpect  and  admiration. 
One  day  after  dinner,  the  congrefs  was  the  toaft; 
General  Waihington  viewed  me  very  attentively, 
and  farcaftically  faid,  "  Mifs  Moncrieffe,  you 
"  don't  drink  your  wine."  Embarraffed  by  this 
reproof,  I  knew  not  how  to  act ;  at  laft,  as  if  by 
a  fecret  impulfe,  I  addreffed  myfelf  to  the  Ameri- 
can commander,  and  taking  the  wine,  I  faid, 
"  General  Howe  is  the  toaft." — Vexed  at  my 
temerity,  the  whole  company,  efpecially  General 
Washington,  cenfured  me;  when  my  good  friend, 
General  Putnam,  as  ufual,  apologifed,  and  aflured 
them  I  did  not  mean  to  offend;  "  Betides,"  replied 
he,  "every  thing  faid  or  done  by  fuch  a  child 
"ought  rather  to  amufe  than  affront  you."— General 
Wafhington,  piqued  at  this  obfervation,  then 
faid,  "Well,  Mifs,  I  will  overlook  your  indif- 
"  cretion,  on  condition  that  you  drink  my 
"  health,  or  General  Putnam's,  the  firft  time 
"  you  dine  at  Sir  William  Howe's  table,  on  the 
"  other  fide  of  the  water." 

Thefe  words  conveyed  to  me  a  flattering  hope 
4  that 


that  I  mould  once  more  fee  my  father,  and  I 
promifed  General  Wafhington  to  do  any  thing 
which  he  required,  provided  he  would  permit  me 
to  return  to  him. 

Not  long  after  this  circumftance,  a  flag  of 
truce  arrived  from  Staten-Ifland,  with  letters 
from  Major  MoncriefTe,  demanding  me,  for  he 
now  confidered  me  as  a  prifoner.  General  Wafh- 
ington would  not  acquiefce  in  this  demand,  fay- 
ing, "  that  I  fhould  remain  a  hoftage  for  my 
"  father's  good  behaviour."  I  muft  here  ob- 
ferve,  that  when  General  Wafhington  refufed  to 
deliver  me  up,  the  noble-minded  Putnam,4  as  if 
it  were  by  inftincl,  laid  his  hand  on  his  fword, 
and  with  a  violent  oath  fwore,  "  that  my  father's 
"  requeft  fhould  be  granted."  The  commander 
in  chief,  whofe  influence  governed  the  congrefs, 
foon  prevailed  on  them  to  confider  me  as  a  per- 
fon  whofe  fituation  required  their  ftridl  atten- 
tion ;*  and,  that  I  might  not  efcape,  they  ordered 

me 


*  My  father's  knowledge  of  the  country  induced  General  Wafhington   to 
ufe  every  expedient  in  order  to   feduce   him   from   the   Royal   caufe,   and    he 


I     29     ) 

me  to  King's- Bridge,  where,  in  juftice,  I  muft 
fay,  that  I  was  treated  with  the  utmoft  tender- 
nefs  :  General  Mifflin5  there  commanded  ;  his 
lady  was  a  moft  accomplifhed,  beautiful  woman, 
a  quaker  ;  and  here  my  heart  received  its  firft 
impreffion, — an  impremon,  that  amidft  the  fub- 
fequent  mocks  which  it  has  received,  has  never 
been  effaced,  and  which  rendered  me  very  unfit 
to  admit  the  embraces  of  an  unfeeling,  brutim 
hufband. 

Oh  !  may  thefe  pages  one  day  meet  the  eye  of 
him  who  fubdued  my  virgin  heart,  whom  the  im- 
mutable, unerring  laws  of  nature  had  pointed 
out  for  my  hufband,  but  whofe  facred  decree  the 
barbarous  cuftoms  of  fociety  fatally  violated.  To 
him  I  plighted  my  virgin  vow,  and  I  mail  never 
ceafe  to  lament,  that  obedience  to  a  father  left  it 
incomplete.  Wh'en  I  reflect  on  my  -paft  fuffer- 
ings,  now  that,  alas  !  my  prefent  forrows  prefs 
heavily  upon  me,  I  cannot  refrain  from  expatiat- 
ing a  little  on  the  inevitable  horrors  which  ever 

attend 

knew  there  was  none  more  likely  to  fucceed  than  that  of  attacking  his  pa- 
rental feelings. 


(     30     ) 

attend  the  frustration  of  natural  affections :  I 
myfelf,  who,  unpitied  by  the  world,  have  endured 
every  calamity  that  human  nature  knows,  am  a 
melancholy  example  of  this  truth  ;  for  if  I  know 
my  own  heart,  it  is  far  better  calculated  for  the 
purer  joys  of  domeftic  life,  than  for  that  hurri- 
cane of  extravagance  and  diflipation  on  which  I 
have  been  wrecked. — 

Why  is  the  will  of  nature  fo  often  perverted  ? 
Why  is  focial  happinefs  for  ever  facrificed  at  the 
altar  of  prejudice  ?  Avarice  has  ufurped  the 
throne  of  reafon,  and  the  affections  of  the  heart 
are  not  confulted.  We  cannot  command  our 
defires,  and  when  the  object  of  our  being  is  un- 
attained,  mifery  muft  be  neceflarily  our  doom. 
Let  this  truth,  therefore,  be  for  ever  remem- 
bered :  when  once  an  affection  has  rooted  itfelf 
in  a  tender,  conftant  heart,  no  time,  no  circum- 
ftance  can  eradicate  it.  Unfortunate,  then,  are 
they  who  are  joined,  if  their  hearts  are  not 
matched ! — 

— With  this  conquerer  of  my   foul,  how  happy 
mould  I   now  have    been  ! — What    ftorms    and 

tempefts 


(     3'     ) 

tempefts  fhould  I  have  avoided,  (at  leaft  I  am 
pleafed  to  think  fo)  if  I  had  been  allowed  to  fol- 
low the  bent  of  my  inclinations  !  and  happier, 
oh !  ten  thoufand  times  happier  mould  I  have 
been  with  him,  in  the  wildeft  defert  of  our  native 
country ,  the  woods  affording  us  our  only  fhelter,  and 
their  fruits  our  only  repaft,  than  under  the  canopy 
of  coftly  ftate,  with  all  the  refinements  and  em- 
bellifhments  of  courts,  with  the  royal  warrior  who 
would  fain  have  proved  himfelf  the  conqueror  of 
France  ! 

•My  conqueror  was  engaged  in  another  caufe,  he 
was  ambitious  to  obtain  other  laurels  :  he  fought 

o 

to  liberate,  not  to  enflave  nations — He  was  a 
Colonel  in  the  American  army,  and  high  in  the 
eftimation  of  his  country  :  his  victories  were  never 
accompanied  with  one  gloomy,  relenting  thought; 
they  ihone  as  bright  as  the  caufe  which  atchieved 
them  !  I  had  communicated,  by  letter  to  General 
Putnam,  the  propofals  of  this  gentleman,  with 
my  determination  to  accept  them,  and  I  was 
embarrafled  by  the  anfwer  which  the  General 
returned ;  he  intreated  me  to  remember,  that  the 

perfon 


(     3'     ) 

perfon  in  queftion,  from  his  political  principles, 
was  extremely  obnoxious  to  my  father,  and 
concluded  by  obferving,  "  That  I  furely  would 
"  not  unite  myfelf  with  a  man  who,  in  his  zeal 
"  for  the  caufe  of  his  country,  would  not  hefitate 
"  to  drench  his  fword  in  the  blood  of  my  neareft 
"  relation,  mould  he  be  oppofed  to  him  in 
"  battle."  Saying  this,  he  lamented  the  neceflity 
of  giving  advice  contrary  to  his  own  fentiments, 
fince,  in  every  other  refpect,  he  confidered  the 
match  as  unexceptionable. — Neverthelefs,  Gene- 
ral Putnam,  after  this  difcovery,  appeared,  in  all 
his  vifits  to  King's- Bridge,  extremely  referved  ; 
his  eyes  were  conftantly  fixed  on  me ;  nor  did  he 
ever  ceafe  to  make  me  the  object  of  his  concern 
to  congrefs ;  and,  after  various  applications,  he 
fucceeded  in  obtaining  leave  for  my  departure, 
when,  in  order  that  I  mould  go  to  Staten-Ifland 
with  the  refpect  due  to  my  fex  and  family,  the 
barge  belonging  to  the'continental  congrefs  was 
ordered  with  twelve  oars,  and  a  general  officer, 
together  with  his  fuite,  was  difpatchcd  to  fee  me 
fafe  acrofs  the  bay  of  New-York.  The  day  was 
fo  very  tempeftuous,  that  I  was  half  drowned  with 

the 


(     33     ) 

the  waves  dafhing  againft  me.  When  we  came 
within  hail  of  the  Eagle  man  of  war,  which  was 
Lord  Howe's  fhip,  a  flag  of  truce  was  fent  to 
meet  us  :  the  officer  difpatched  on  this  occafion 
was  Lieutenant  Brown.  General  Knox"  told  him 
that  he  had  received  orders  to  fee  me  fafe  to  head- 
quarters. Lieutenant  Brown  replied,  "It  was 
"  imporTible,  as  no  perfon  from  the  enemy  could 
"approach  nearer  the  Englifh  fleet;"  but  added, 
"  that  if  I  would  place  myfelf  under  his  protec- 
"  tion,  he  certainly  would  attend  me  thither."  I 
then  entered  the  barge,  and  bidding  an  eternal 
farewell  to  my  dear  American  friends,  turned  MY 

BACK  ON   LIBERTY  ! 

— We  firft  rowed  alongfide  the  Eagle,  and 
Mr.  Brown  afterwards  conveyed  me  to  head- 
quarters. When  my  name  was  announced,  the 
Britifh  commander  in  chief  lent  Colonel  Sheriff, 
(lately  made  a  General,  and  who,  during  my 
father's  life-time,  was  one  of  his  mofl  -particular 
friends,  although,  alas  !  the  endearing  fentiment 
of  friendfhip  now  feems  extinct  in  his  breaft,  as 
far  as  the  unhappy  daughter  is  concerned)  with 

an 


(    34    )     , 

an  invitation  from  Sir  William  Howe7  to  dinner, 
which  was  neceffarily  accepted.  When  intro- 
duced, I  cannot  defcribe  the  emotion  I  felt ;  fo 
fudden  the  tranfition  in  a  few  hours,  that  I  was 
ready  to  fink  into  the  earth  !  Judge  the  diftrefs 
of  a  girl  not  fourteen,  obliged  to  encounter  the 
curious,  inquifitive  eyes  of  at  leaft  forty  or  fifty 
people,  who  were  at  dinner  with  the  General. 
Fatigued  with  their  faftidious  compliments,  I 
could  only  hear  the  buz  amongft  them,  faying, 
"She  is  a  fweet  girl,  me  is  divinely  handfome;" 
although  it  was  fome  relief  to  be  placed  at  table 
next  the  wife  of  Major  Montrefor,8  who  had 
known  me  from  my  infancy.  Owing  to  this  cir- 
cumftance,  I  recovered  a  degree  of  confidence ; 
but  being  unfortunately  afked,  agreeably  to  mili- 
tary etiquette,  for  a  toafl^  I  gave  General  Putnam : 
Colonel  Sheriff  faid,  in  a  low  voice,  "You  muft 
not  give  him  here:"  when  Sir  William  Howe 
complaifantly  replied,  "  O  !  by  all  means  ;  if  he 
"be  the  lady's  fweetheart^  I  can  have  no  objection 
"  to  drink  his  health."  This  involved  me  in  a 
new  dilemma ;  I  wifhed  myfelf  a  thoufand  miles 
diftant ;  and  to  divert  the  attention  of  the  com- 
pany, 


(    35     ) 

pany,  I  gave  to  the  General  a  letter,  that  I  had 
been  commiffioned  to  deliver  from  General  Put- 
nam, of  which  the  following  is  a  copy — (And 
here  I  confider  myfelf  bound  to  apologize  for  the 
bad  fpelling  of  my  moft  excellent  republican 
friend.  The  bad  orthography  was  amply  com- 
penfated  by  the  magnanimity  of  the  man  who 
wrote  it.) — "  Ginrole*  Putnam's  compliments  to 
"  Major  Moncrieffe,  has  made  him  a  prefent  of  a 
"fine  daughter,  if  he  dont  lick\  her  he  muft  fend 
"  her  back  again,  and  he  will  provide  her  with  a 
"  fine  good  twig  hufband."  The  fubftitution  of 
twig  for  whig  hufband,  ferved  as  a  fund  of  enter- 
tainment to  the  company. 

Immediately  the  General  informed  me  that  my 
father  was  with  Lord  Percy,{  and  obligingly  faid, 
"  that  a  carriage  mould  be  provided  to  convey  me 
"to  him,"  gallantly  adding,  "  amongft  fo  many 
"gentlemen  a  beautiful  young  lady  certainly  could 
"  not  want  a  cecifbeo  to  conduct  her." — Knowing 

Colonel 

*  For  General.  f  For  like. 

Now  Duke  of  Northumberland. 


(     36     ) 

Colonel  Small  from  my  earlier!  youth,  I  afked  him 
to  render  me  that  fervice,  to  which  he  confented. — 
Lord  Percy*  then  lived  nine  miles  diftant  from 
head-quarters,  and  when  we  arrived  at  his  houfe, 
my  father  was  walking  on  the  lawn  with  his  Lord- 
fhip. — Colonel  Small,9*  apprehenfive  of  the  confe- 
quences  which  might  enfue  from  a  too  abrupt 
introduction,  delicately  hinted  to  him  that  I  was 
at  Sir  William  Howe's. — Lord  Percy,  equally 
impatient  to  fee  me,  replied,  "  Heaven  be  praifed  ! 
"  Major,  let  us  inftantly  go  and  conduct  her 
"  hither."  Such  trouble  was  however  unnecef- 
fary :  In  a  few  minutes,  I  was  introduced,  when, 
overcome  by  the  emotions  of  filial  tendernefs,  I 
fainted  in  my  father's  arms,  where  I  remained  in 
a  ftate  of  infenfibility  during  half  an  hour;  at 
length  I  recovered,  and  mutual  congratulations 
pafled  on  all  fides,  when  it  became  neceflary  to 
confider  in  what  manner  I  was  to  be  difpofed  of, 
iince  all  his  Lordfhip's  Juite  flept  in  marquees  : 
but  the  hofpitality  of  this  nobleman  rofe  above 
ceremony,  and  that  the  daughter  mould  not  fo 
foon  again  be  feparated  from  her  father,  he  ordered 
one  of  his  own  apartments  to  be  prepared  for  me. 

Here 


(     37     ) 

Here  I  lived  happy,  till  the  Royal  Army  quitted 
Staten-Ifland. — A  fortnight  previous  thereto,  my 
father  had  been  appointed  Major  of  Brigade  to 
the  divifion  commanded  by  Lord  Cornwallis  ;  an 
event  that  afforded  us  infinite  fatisfaction.  With 
the  uncle  of  this  Lord  he  had  begun  his  military 
career,  having  received  his  firft  commiffion  from 
that  General  in  Flanders;  and  I  am  rejoiced  in 
having  now  the  opportunity  of  publifhing  to  the 
world,  that  his  merit  alone  raifed  him  to  the  con- 
fidence of  his  patron,  and  to  the  rank  he  after- 
wards held  in  his  profeffion. 

General  Cornwallis,10  as  a  proof  of  his  efteem 
for  my  father,  intreated  that  he  might  adopt  his 
eldeft  fon,  now  a  Lieutenant  in  the  6oth  regi- 
ment of  foot,  and  who  bears  the  name  of  Edward 
Cornwallis,  in  addition  to  that  of  Moncrieffe. 
Soon  after  our  departure  from  Lord  Percy's,  the 
Royal  Army,  having  left  Staten-Ifland,  made 
good  their  landing  on  Long-Ifland,  where  my 
father  was  taken  prifoner  at  the  battle  of  Brook- 
lyn" and  ftripped  of  his  regimentals,  was  forced 
to  put  on  the  Red  Ribbon,  (a  mark  which  the 

Americans 


Americans  wore,  in  order  to  diftinguifh  their 
own  ftaff  officers  ;)  and  while  he  was  endeavour- 
ing to  perfuade  the  men  to  furrender  themfelves 
to  the  Royal  Army,  they  were  furrounded  by  a 
party  of  Heflians,1"  who  miftaking  my  father, 
conceived  him,  from  the  badge  he  had  on,  to  be 
a  Colonel  of  the  enemy :  In  vain  he  remon- 
ftrated ;  they  made  him  aflift  to  draw  the  heavy 
cannon,  in  which  laborious  exercife  he  was  recog- 
nifed  by  a  Colonel  in  the  Britifh  Army :  the 
Heflian  officer,  confufed  on  difcovering  his  error, 
confequently  made  every  due  apology.  This 
event  frequently  caufed  us  much  entertainment. 
The  fuccefs  of  rhe  Royalifts  foon  reftored  to  us 
the  poffeffion  of  our  property  at  New- York, 
where  we  were  no  fooner  fettled,  than  my  father 
fent  an  invitation  to  the  widow  of  a  gentleman 
(who  had  been  formerly  a  Paymafter-general  of 
the  Britifh  forces)  requefting  her  to  accept  his 
houfe  as  an  afylum  :  his  object  in  fo  doing  was 
on  my  account,  his  public  fituation  obliging  him 
to  be  ever  abfent  from  home. — I  had  now  ac- 
quired a  number  of  admirers ;  but  having  pofi- 
tively  renounced  all  thoughts  of  marriage,  I  ob- 
tained 


(    39     ) 

tained  cqnfent  to  depart  for  England  with 
Colonel  and  Mrs.  Horsfall,  who  were  to  embark 
in  the  month  of  March,  1777.  It  was  then 
refolved  that,  on  my  arrival  in  England,  I  mould 
be  placed  at  Queen's  Square  boarding-fchool. — 
How  vain  is  it  for  mortals  to  anticipate  plans 
which  Providence  in  an  inftant  can  entirely  de- 
ftroy! 

Mr.  Coghlan,13  my  prefent  hufband,  faw  me  at 
an  affembly,  when,  without  either  confulting  my 
hearty  or  deigning  to  afk  my  permiflion,  he  in- 
ftantly  demanded  me  in  marriage,  and  won  my 
father  to  his  purpofe. — In  a  favage  mind,  which 
only  confidered  fenfual  enjoyments,  affection  was 
not  an  object,  for  I  told  him  at  the  time  he  had 
not  any  affection,  and  conjured  him  in  the  moft 
perfuafive  terms,  to  act  as  a  man  of  honour  and 
humanity :  his  reply  was  congenial  with  his  cha- 
racter ;  he  valued  not  any  refufal  on  my  part,  fo 
long  as  he  had  the  Major's  confent ;  and,  with  a 
dreadful  oath,  he  fwore,  "  that  my  obftinacy 
mould  not  avail  me."  Indeed,  my  refufal  figni- 
fied  nothing  ;  he  infinuated  himfelf  fo  far  in  my 

father's 


(      40     ) 

father's  confidence,  as  to  draw  upon  me  the  anger 
of  a  parent,  to  whofe  difpleafure  I  had  never 
been  accuftomed,  and  whofe  rebukes  I  had  not 
refolution  to  refift  :  Confined  to  my  own  apart- 
ment, I  was  forbid  his  prefence,  unlefs  prepared 
to  receive  the  hufband  he  had  provided  for  me. 
Wretched  in  mind,  fmarting  under  the  fad  re- 
verfe,  I  who  had  only  known  the  heart-cheering 
fmiles  of  parental  fondnefs,  to  become  the  object 
of  parental  anger !  the  idea  overcame  me,  and 
befieged,  at  the  fame  time,  by  the  pathetic  in- 
treaties  of  a  much-loved  brother,  I  unhappily 
yielded,  and  here  fate  daflied  me  on  a  rock  which 
has  deftroyed  my  peace  of  mind  in  this  world, 
and  may,  perhaps,  have  paved  my  way  to  eternal 
torments  in  another. 

Unable,  as  I  have  faid,  to  refufe  the  earneft 
felicitations  of  a  brother,  my  earlieft  and  deareft 
friend,  I  took  to  my  bed  a  viper,  who  has  flung 
me  even  unto  death,  who  has  hurled  me  from  the 
rank  to  which  I  was  born,  and  for  ever  banimed 
me  from  all  thofe  amiable  enjoyments  of  fociety, 
without  which  life  is  a  vacuum  not  to  be  endured. 

In 


(     41      ) 

In  confequence  of  thefe  fatal  intreaties,  I  was 
married  to  Mr.  John  Coghlan,  on  the  28th  of 
February,  1777,  at  New-York,  by  fpecial  licence, 
granted  by  Sir  William  Tryon,14  who  was  then 
Civil  Governor  of  that  province.  At  this  period, 
I  was  only  fourteen  years^m.d^Jgw.jnan-ths  old ; 


fo  eai4y^di3^I  fall  a  melancholy  victim  to  the 
hafty  decifion  of  well-meaning,  but  alas  !  moft 
miftaken  relations.  My  union  with  Mr.  Cogh- 
lan I  never  considered  in  any  other  light^  than 
an  honourable  proftitution,  as  I  really  hated  the 
man  whom  they  had  compelled  me  to  marry. 


As  the  prelude  was  inaufpicious,  fo  did  a  dif- 
mal  omen  fucceed  our  wedding.  The  worthy 
Doctor  Auchmuty,15  who  was  then  Rector  of 
New-York,  and  had  married  us  that  evening, 
complained  on  the  fame  evening,  while  at  fupper, 
»  of  indifpofition,  and  three  days  afterwards  he 
finimed  his  mortal  race. — We  were  the  laft  couple 
married  by  this  truly  amiable  man,  this  exem- 
plary pattern  of  true  chriftian  piety But  when 

he  joined  our  hands,  (I  cannot  fay  our  hearts,)  he 
wedded  me,  as  I  before   obferved,   to  a  feries  of 

wretchednefs, 


(      42      ) 

wretchednefs,  from  which  Heaven  alone  holds 
forth  a  profpect  of  relief. 

Educated  in  the  fchool  of  virtue,  and,  I  truft, 
naturally  averfe  to  thofe  fcenes  of  vice  in  which 
my  unhappy  ftars  have  fince  involved  me  ;  let  my 
example  ferve  as  a  falutary  caution  to  other 
brothers — to  other  fathers — how  they  attempt  to 
influence  the  choice,  or  to  force  the  inclinations 
of  inexperienced  female  youth,  on  a  point  where 
every  thing  moft  facred  is  concerned. 

— Let  the  compulfion  practifed  on  me  apologife 

• 

with  the  liberal  mind  for  the  tranfgreffions  of 
youth,  doomed  to  the  chains  of  a  detefted  mar- 
riage.—  Had  it  been  my  lot  to  have  been  united 
in  wedlock  with  the  man  of  my  affeffions,  my  foul 
and  body  might  now  have  been  all  purity,  and 
the  world  would  not  then  have  loft  a  being,  natu- 
rally focial,  generous,  and  humane. 

x 

A  few  months  after  our  nuptials,  Mr.  Coghlan 
was  ordered,  with  his  regiment,  to  Philadelphia, 
whither  he  repaired,  leaving  me  at  Long-Ifland 

with 


(     43     ) 

with  my  father  — For  feveral  months,  I  never 
received  any  letter  from  him,  a  circumftance  which 
caufed  great  difpleafure  to  all  my  relations  ;  but  to 
me,  it  was  of  little  confequence,  as  my  greateft 
happinefs  was  to  remain  peaceably  at  home  with 
my  family. — However,  this  fatisfaction  was  not 
long  enjoyed.  One  evening,  as  I  was  fitting  with 
my  father,  the  arrival  of  my  hufband  was  an- 
nounced ;  the  matter  of  the  houfe  received  him 
with  open  arms,  but  I  met  him  with  an  air  of 
difguft^  having  never  learned  the  fecret  to  difguife 
my  genuine  feelings.  In  the  courfe  of  converfa- 
tion,  we  difcovered  that  he  had  fold  out  of  the 
army  in  defiance  of  his  father's  pofitive  com- 
mands ;  and  that  it  was  his  intention  inftantly  to 
embark  for  England,  where  he  propofed  that  I 
mould  accompany  him. — Thus  I  was  forced  from 
the  paternal  roof  of  my  only  friend,  my  natural 
•proteftor. 

Mr.  Coghlan  took  lodgings  at  New-York, 
where  he  introduced  mejx^jibertrrres; and  to 
women  of  dout5Hid~€liafacT:er.  In  this  city  we 
remained  about  a  month,  when  a  convoy  being 

6  ready 


(     44     ) 

ready  to  fail  for  Cork,  we  embarked  on  the  8th 
of  February,  1778,  and  had  not  been  many  days 
at  fea  before  my  hufband,  freed  from  all  restraint, 
from  the  protection  that  I  had  enjoyed  under  my 
father's  roof,  threw  off  the  mafk  of  deception, 
and  appeared  in  his  true  native  character,  the 
/  brutifh  unfeeling  tyrant !  never  omitting  an  oppor- 
tunity to  perfecute  and  torment  me.  Innumer- 
able cruelties  did  I  endure  from  this  man  while 
on  our  paffage  ;  and  fo  unrelenting  was  he  in  his 
barbarous  treatment,  that  it  at  length  became 
public  in  the  mip,  and  obliged  Captain  Kidd, 
the  commander,  to  take  notice  of  it,  threatening 
to  confine  him  as  a  madman,  if  he  perfevered  in 
his  inhuman  career.*  In  three  weeks  after  our 
departure  from  New-York,  the  fleet  difcovered 
land  ;  but  beat  off  by  ftrong  eafterly  winds,  we 
could  not  make  Cape  Clear,  fo  that  the  Captain 
was  obliged  to  take  all  the  mips  he  had  under 
convoy  into  Crook  Haven,  a  fmall  port  in  the 
weft  of  Ireland. — The  veflels  no  fooner  came  to 
anchor,  than  my  tyrant  fent  his  horfe  afhore,  which 

he 

*  Vide  the  libel  exhibited   by  me  againft   my  hufband,  which  remains  on 
record  in  the  Ecclesiastical  Court. 


(    45    ) 

he  had  brought  from  America;  leaving  me,  youns 
and  unprotected,  in  the  midft  of  fix  or  feven  \ 
hundred  men,  for  the  fpace  of  fourteen  days, 
without  a  fingle  individual  of  my  own  fex  in  the 
whole  fleet.  Thus  I  was  expofed  to  various  in- 
fults,  for  when  my  hufband  openly  abandoned 
me,  it  was  natural  to  conclude  that  others  would 
not  be  remifs  in  practifing  their  arts  of  feduction 
againft  me. 

When  the  wind  became  favourable,  we  again 
failed,  and  landed  at  the  Cove  of  Cork.  On  my 
arrival  in  the  latter  city,  I  was  received  by  the 
Mayor,  a  near  relation  of  my  hufband's,  who  foon 
introduced  me  to  him ;  I  was  pleafed  to  find  that 
he  made  fome  apologies  for  having  left  me  fo 
abruptly,  remarking,  that  it  was  in  confequence 
of  fome  liberties  he  conceived  Captain  Kidd  had 
taken  with  him. 

During  my  ftay  at  Cork,  which  lafted  ten  days, 
I  was  treated  with  all  poffible  civility  and  refpect. 
From  hence  we  went  to  Dublin,  where,  on  our 
arrival,  myv-uncle,  Alderman  MoncriefFe,  (who  is 

now 


now  one  of  the  chief  magiftrates  and  Lord  Mayor 
elect  of  that  city)  expreffed  great  difpleafure  on 
hearing  that  I   had  remained  fo  long  at  Crook 
Haven,  under  the  circumftances  I  have  defcribed. 
— In   a   few  days   Mr.  Coghlan,  leaving  me  with 
my   uncle,  went  over  to   England,  where   he    re- 
mained one  month.     While  he  had  been  abfent, 
and  in  London,  his  mind  had  been  poifoned  by  a 
variety    of   calumnies    that    some    good-natured 
friends  had  infinuated  againfl   me. — On   his   re- 
turn, he  roundly  told  me,  that  he  had  taken  an 
old  manfion  in  Wales,  for  the  exprefs  purpofe  of 
fecluding  me  from  the  world;   that  his  defign  was 
to  break  myjpirit;  and  if  that  would  not  do,  to 
break  my  heart. — In  vain  I  practifed  every  art  in 
my  power  to  fruftrate  this  inhuman  project;   but 
finding  all  my  intreaties  and  exertions  ineffectual, 
I  pofitively  told  both   him   and  my  uncle   I  was 
determined  not  to  remain  in  Wales  ;   and  boldly 
declared,  that  I  would  leave  him   and  fly  to  my 
father's  friends  in   England. — He,  however,  pe- 
remptorily perfifted  in  his   refolution,  and  I  be- 
lieve has  fince  lamented  his  folly.     When  we  had 
reached   the  inn  at  Conway  (on  our  way  to  the 

Old 


(    47     ) 

Old  Man/ion)  all  my  thoughts  were  bent  on  an 
efcape,  and  the  very  firft  moment  he  left  me  alone, 
I  fled  from  my  tormentor,  and  fought  my  way 
acrofs  the  mountains,  destitute  of  money,  and 
without  a  hut  to  afford  me  fhelter  from  the  in- 
clemency of  the  weather ;  but  fupported  by  the 
native  innocence£>£~mT~o'wh  he"artj~JL  efcaped  from 
the  great  regardlefs  of  all  lefTer  evils.  I  encoun- 
tered many  difficulties  on  the  road  :  youth,  how- 
ever, and  perfeverance,  enabled  me  to  furmount 
them  all. — Lovers  prefTed  around  me  at  every 
inn  :  Hibernia's  gallant  fons,  fome  of  whom  had 
feen  me  in  Dublin,  made  the  moft  liberal  offers, 
and  uttered  the  warmeft  vows  ;  they  would  have 
efcorted  me  to  London,  or  to  any  other  part  of 
the  world  ;  but  I  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  their  pro- 
teftations,  and  continued  my  pedeftrian  journey, 
an  innocent,  folitary  fugitive  !  From  my  juvenile 
appearance,  I  naturally  became  an  object  of  fuf- 
picion  to  the  different  inn-keepers,  who  confider- 
ed  me  as  an  amorous  adventurer,  run  away  from 
my  parents  ;  but  on  a  candid  recital  of  my  art- 
lefs  tale,  and  on  my  repofing  implicit  confidence 
in  them,  they  confented  to  affift  and  facilitate  my 

flight. 


flight. — When  I  arrived  at  Namptwich,  I  wrote 
to  Lord  Thomas  Clinton,  (now  Lord  Lincoln) 
who  had  been  on  very  intimate  terms  with  my 
friends  in  America. 

Here,  perhaps,  my  conduct  was  imprudent, 
although,  I  truft,  not  altogether  guilty ;  never- 
thelefs,  this  act  of  indifcretion  has  poflibly  occa- 
fioned  many  of  the  fubfequent  miferies  that  I 
have  fince  endured. — My  letter  to  his  Lordfhip 
was  immediately  anfwered  by  Mr.  Jackfon,  (at- 
torney to  Lord  Thomas)  inclofing,  by  his  Lord- 
fhip's  order,  twenty  pounds,  and  containing  a 
requeft  from  him,  that  I  mould  confider  myfelf 
under  his  protection,  fignifying,  that  Mr.  Cogh- 
lan  had  challenged  him,  in  confequence  of  fome 
fufpicions  which  he  entertained  concerning  an 
amorous  attachment  between  his  Lordfhip  and 
myfelf. 

I  had  forgot  to  mention,  that  my  hufband 
purfued  me  from  Conway,  but  taking  a  different 
rout,  mifled  his  object.  When  he  arrived  in 
London,  he  mftantly  repaired  to  the  houfe  of 

General 


(     49     ) 

General  Gage,19  who  hinted  to  him  the  probability 
of  h^  fin  dingon^  with  Lord.  Thomas,  the  Gene- 
ral having  heard  a  report  to  that  purpofe. — 
Alarmed  by  this  intelligence,  he  fent  for  his 
brother-in-law,  Mr.  Phipps,  (the  late  member 
for  Peterborough)  who  accompanied  him  to  Sun- 
ning-Hill,  at  which  place  Lord  Thomas  then 
refided.  He  immediately  accufed  the  latter  of 
having  been  my  feducer,  indited  on  fearching 
the  houfe,  and  in  cafe  of  refufal,  declared  that  he 
was  prepared,  and  would  infifl  on  that  fatisfac- 
tion  to  which  an  injured  hufband  was  entitled. 
Fortunately,  fome  gentlemen,  who  were  on  a 
vifit  to  his  Lordmip,  interfered,  and  afTured  Mr. 
Coghlan  that  /  was  not  in  the  houfe  ;  when,  after 
much  perfuafion,  he  was  induced  to  return  to 
London,  at  the  fame  time  denouncing  vengeance 
if  he  mould  hereafter  difcover  that  any  deception 
had  been  practifed  upon  him. — I  have  never 
ceafed  to  rejoice  that  this  affair  had  no  fatal 
cataftrophe.  My  hufband's  temper  was  natu- 
rally violent ;  and,  born  in  a  country  where  the 
barbarous  prejudice  of  duelling  bears  fuch  abfo- 
lute  fway,  the  noble  Lord  might  have  fallen  a 

victim 


(     50    ) 

victim    to    this    favage    cuftom — the    illuftrious 
houfe  of  Newcaftle  might  have  been  deprived  of 
their  heir,  and  thus   another  hope  of   a  puiffant 
family  have  been  loft. 

— Amongft  a  brave  and  enlightened  people, 
who  have  always  difplayed  the  moft  exemplary 
valour  in  defending  their  rights,  and  whofe  gener- 
ous volunteers,  led  on,  in  the  hour  of  danger, 
by  the  patriots  Grattan,  Charlemont,  Leinfter, 
and  other  noble  chiefs,  have  never  hefitated  to 
make  the  deareft  facrifice  for  the  public  fafety,  it 
cannot  be  too  much  lamented,  that  heroes  fo 
prodigal  of  life  mould  not  have  courage  to 
oppofe  and  annihilate  a  barbarifm  which  has  for 
many  centuries  fixed  a  ftigma  on  a  country  in 
every  other  refpect  amiable,  and  whofe  bravery 
and  gallantry  are  univerfally  renowned  through 
all  the  nations  of  the  world. 

I  am  forry  to  remark,  to  the  utter  difgrace  of 
Lord  Clinton,  that  his  behaviour  to  me,  when  I 
fell  withrrr~fiis  power,  was  fuch  as  reflects  dif- 
honour  both  on  his  head  and  heart.  In  the  former, 

I 


I  at  once  difcovered  a  vacancy  ;  it  did  not,  there- 
fore, afterwards  furprife  me  to  find  a  canker  in  the 
latter,  having  always  remarked  a  weak  head  and 
an  unprincipled  mind  to  be  perfectly  congenial  to 
each  other.  This  Jot  difant  nobleman  meanly  pro- 
pofed  to  furrender  me,  young  and  beautiful  as  I 
was  then  considered,  (and  at  the  fame  time  under 
his  immediate  care)  to  the  arms  of  one  of  his  liber- 
tine companions,  only  anxious  to  avoid  the  me- 
naces of  an  enraged  Hibernian,  and  to  fecure  him- 
felf  from  an  action  of  damages. — Such  an  act, 
committed  by  a  man  of  inferior  birth,  would  have 
difgraced  him  among  his  fellows  ;  while  the  noble 
derives  from  thence  additional  fame,  and  a  breach 
of  every  moral  duty  in  the  higher  circles  is  re- 
garded as  mere  fafhionable  levity,  as  the  elegant 
nonchalance  of  polite  life. — In  that  clafs,  diftinc- 
tion  keeps  pace  with  vice,  and  a  ftrict  obfervance 
of  morality  is  deemed  dulnefs  and  infipidity. 

After  what  I  have  faid  of  nobility,  let  me  be 
permitted  to  make  one  honourable  exception  :  I 
mould  be  ungrateful  indeed,  and  belie  the  feel- 
ings of  my  foul,  if  I  did  not  proclaim  my  dear 

7  friend, 


friend)  Lord  Hervey,  a  nobleman  porfefTing 
honour,  generofity,  and  affection — His  heart, 
always  open  to  the  congenial  feelings  of  humanity, 
never  refufed  obedience  to  its  facred  impulfe.  I 
knew  him  in  his  prime  of  youth,  and  although  now 
lome  years  have  parTed  fince  I  enjoyed  the  happi- 
nefs  of  feeing  him,  I  am  pleafed  to  flatter  my- 
felf  that  his  foul  has  efcaped  the  politician's  lot, 
— that  it  has  not  become  hardened  and  corrupt. 

How  often  have  I  obferved  him  check  the 
manly  tear  which  had  instinctively  ftarted  in  his 
eye  on  a  recital  of  my  misfortunes  !  and  how 
fincerely  has  he  appeared  to  lament  the  want  of 
•power  to  reftore  me  to  that  fituation  which  I  was 
born  to  fill  in  the  world  ! — While  living-  under 

O 

the  protection  of  Lord  Clinton,  I  endured  many 
unhappy  hours,  and  my  affliction  did  not  pafs 
unobferved  by  my  attendants. — One  day  I  was 
furprifed  in  fears,  by  my  own  woman,  to  whom 
1  related  my  ftory,  as  nothing  affords  more  relief 
to  a  diftrefled  mind,  than  giving  vent  to  its  for- 
rows  :  this  compaffionate  creature,  who  was  by 
no  means  privy  to  his  Lordmip's  plans,  advifed 

me 


(     53     ) 

me  to  attempt  a  reconciliation  with  my  hufband, 
which  advice  I  rejected  ;  but,  having  written  a 
penitent  letter  to  my  friend,  (the  Honourable 
Mrs.  Gage)17  into  whofe  hands  I  defired  it  to  be 
delivered,  General  Gage  himfelf,  who  was  ever 

*  D  '  \ 

during  his  life  a  friend  to  my  family,  contrary  to 
the  opinion  of  his  lady,  fetched  me  inftantly  away 
from  my  lodgings  in  Lower-Seymour-ftreet,  and 
informed  Mr.  Coghlan's  father  that  the  fair  fugi- 
tive was  found  ;  when  they  held  a  confutation 
refpecting  my  future  deftination,  the  refult  of 
which  was,  that  it  would  be  prudent  for  me  to 
retire  to  a  convent  in  France.  In  this  opinion  I 
acquiefced,  and  confequently  departed  for  Calais, 
where  I  hired  apartments  in  the  Dominican  con- 
vent. I  had  not  been  long  in  this  gloomy 
retirement,  before  I  was  furprifed  with  a  vifit 
from  Lord  Thomas  Clinton,  who  informed  me 
of  the  death  of  his  brother,  the  late  Lord  Lin- 
coln,— and  was  pleafed  to  fay,  that  his  object  in 
coming  to  Calais  was  to  know  if  I  was  happy. 
Youth  is  the  feafon  of  credulity,  and  flattery 
never  yet  was  unwelcome  to  a.  female  ear.  Being 
myfelf  naturally  of  a  lively  temper,  I  could  but 

ill 


(    54    ) 

ill  adapt  my  ideas  to  the  difmal  folitude  of  a 
monaftery,  or  to  the  melancholy  habits  of  its 
fuperftitious  inhabitants,  and  a  circumftance*  had 
lately  happened,  which  had  determined  me  to 
quit  my  prefent  companions.  I  knew  it  was  in 
vain  to  afk  permiffion  from  my  friends  to  return 
to  England,  as  it  had  been  determined  by  them 
that  I  mould  continue  three  years  in  the  convent, 
and  abjolute  orders  had  been  given  to  the  fupe- 
rior,  that  no  ftranger  mould  be  admitted  to  fee 
me,  unlefs  he  brought  letters  from  them.  I 
mentioned  this  circumftance  to  Lord  Lincoln, 
but  he  was  too  well  acquainted  with  the  fecret 
virtue  of  that  golden  key  which  he  pofTefTed,  to  pay 
attention  to  fuch  orders.  The  fcrupulous  deli- 
cacy of  Madame  Gray,  fuperior  of  the  convent, 
could  not  refift  the  magic  of  this  key ;  her  virtue 
yielded,  and  I  confequently  dined  with  his  Lord- 
fhip,  nor  ever  more  returned  to  my  difinterested 

friend 


*  Alluding  to  a  ceremony  annually  obferved  on  All  Saints  Day,  or  the 
Refurredtion  of  Souls,  when  the  bones  and  fculls  of  the  dead,  which  had 
long  before  been  peaceably  configned  to  their  mother  Earth,  together  with 
a  coffin,  are  placed  in  the  chapel  of  the  convent,  where  all  the  ladies  of  the 
fociety  are  made  to  attend  the  doleful  fcene  at  midnight. 


(     55    ) 

friend,  Madame  Gray,  but  agreeable  to  his  Lord- 

fhip's  advice,   took  my  paflage  to  England. 

The  Nuns,  alarmed  at  my  flight,   wrote  to  my 

friends,   excufmg  themfelves   from   having   been 

privy  to    my   efcape,    and    imputing    the  whole 

blame  to  the  woman  whofe  bufmefs  it  is  to  walk 

out  with  the  pensioners,  as  being  auxiliary  to  my 

departure. — Soon   after  my  arrival   in   London, 

General  Gage  was   informed  of  my  return,   and 

of  the  place  where  I  had  taken  up  my  residence. 

He  immediately  difpatched  Major  Brown  to  my 

lodgings,   and  by  him  I  was  acquainted  with  the 

mifery  which  my  father  fuffered  on  my  account. 

Unable   to  endure   the   thought  of  afflicting  the 

tendereft  of  parents,  whom   I  moft  affectionately 

loved,  I  was  eafily  induced  to  forego  thofe  vifion- 

ary   and  fatal   fchemes   of  happinefs,   which  my 

imagination  had  formed.      Thus  reftored  to  my 

friends,  I  was  fixed  by  Mrs.  Gage  with  a  refpect- 

able  family  near  Grofvenor  Square. 

Sir  Charles  Gould,  who  was  in  habits  of  cor- 
refpondence  with  Major  Moncrieffe,18  paid  the 
expenfes  of  my  board,  at  the  Major  s  defire. 

Here 


(     56    ) 

Here  I  remained  two  years,  at  the  expiration  of 
which  time  Mrs.  Gage  informed  me  that  me  had 
received  letters  from  my  father,  wherein  he  ex- 
prefTed  his  wifhes  that  I  would  form  fome  plan 
whereby  to  gain  a  future  livelihood ;  that  as  by 
my  imprudence  I  had  rendered  it  impoffible  for 
him  to  countenance  me  as  his  daughter,  he  ad- 
vifed  me  to  endeavour  to  learn  the  mantua- 
making  bufmefs.  The  propofal  I  rejected,  con- 
fidering  that  I  was  entitled  to  a  feparate  mainte- 
nance from  my  hufband,  proportionate  to  his 
fortune.  Thus  embarrafled,  I  waited  on  Lord 
Amherft,19  informing  him  of  my  unhappy  mar- 
riage. His  Lordfhip  remembered  me  when  in 
my  nurfe's  arms,  which  recollection  fecure^  me  in 
him  a  zealous  advocate  and  mediator  with  my 
father ;  at  the  fame  time  flattering  me  with  hopes 
of  fuccefs.  On  hearing  the  intention  of  the 
latter,  his  Lordfhip  was  equally  furprifed  with 
myfelf :  he  inftantly  exclaimed,  "  This  furely 
"  would  be  a  curious  method  to  reftore  you  to 
"the  paths  of  virtue  ;"  adding,  "that  he  had  a 
"  bad  opinion  of  fuch  trades  for  young  women." 

—My 


(    57    ) 

— My  father  was  a  man  of  rigid,  auftere  prin- 
ciples, whenever  virtue  or  honour  were  in  quef- 
tion,  however  indulgent  he  might  be  himfelf  on 
other  occaiions.  The  feverity  he  manifested  in 
this  inftance  does  not  derogate  in  the  leaft  from 
his  ufual  character  ;  the  actual  dishonour  of  a 
beloved  daughter  pleads  a  Sufficient  excufe  for 
any  harfhnefs  which  I  may  have  experienced 
from  him. 

Thusdeferted,  I  became  almoft  frantic;  I  left  the 
family  where  Mrs.  Gage  had  placed  me,  and  paid 
a  vifit  to  the  man  whofe  counfels  I  ought  to  have 
fhunned.  At  his  Lordmip's  houfe  I  was  received 
a  welcome  gueft :  on  feeing  me,  \\ejatiricallyfmiled, 
and  faid,  "  he  hoped  I  had  now  fufficiently  felt  the 
"  rod  of  correction,  and  that  it  would  teach  me  to 
"  be  regardlefs  of  every  other  confideration  but 
"  that  of  improving  my  own  fortune." — At  this 
period,  Lord  Lincoln  was  engaged  in  a  contefted 
election  for  the  city  of  Weftminfter,  with  that 
bright  luminary  of  genius  who  ftill  mines  with 
fuch  refplendent  effulgence  in  the  political  world, 
the  Right  Honourable  Charles  Fox.20- -I  was 

now 


now  feventeen  years  old,  and  felt  a  natural  incli- 
nation for  the  ftage :  on  this  fubject  I  confulted 
a  friend  of  my  father's,  Colonel  Etherington,  who 
advifed  me  to  procure  an  introduction  to  the 
manager  of  Drury-Lane  Theatre.  Accident,  at 
this  juncture,  brought  me  acquainted  with  the 
Right  Honourable  Gentleman  juft  mentioned, 
(Mr.  Fox)  whofe  intereft  I  folicited  with  Mr. 
Sheridan,21  and  he,  with  his  ufual  goodnefs, 
recommended  me  to  the  latter  gentleman,  and  it 
was  then  my  intention  to  have  made  my  debut  at 
Drury-Lane  Houfe,  the  following  winter. 

The  frequent  opportunities  I  at  this  time 
enjoyed  of  feeing  Mr.  Fox,  whofe  affections  were 
'then  (I  believe)  difengaged,  were  of  the  higheft 
fervice  to  me  ;  dulnefs  itfelf  could  not  have  failed 
to  profit  from  the  inftructions  of  fo  able  and  elo- 
quent a  friend.  During  my  acquaintance  with 
this  amiable  and  benevolent  man,  my  foul  was 
confecrated  to  all  the  fweet  emotions  of  friend- 
fhip,  and  happy  mould  I  have  been  had  this  inti- 
macy lafted ; — but,  alas  !  fuch  happinefs  was  not 
referved  for  me.  Engagedvin  the  purfuit  of  moft 

honourable 


(     J9     ) 

honourable  ambition,  his  heart  was  ever  open  to 
the  more  endearing  virtues  of  private  life.  The 
zealous,  enthufiaftic  patriot  was  no  lefs  the  fincere 
affectionate  friend — the  tender,  the  ardent  lover ; 
and,  perhaps,  in  no  one  man  were  ever  before 
united  fo  many  engaging,  fo  many  tranfcendent 
qualities  ;  infomuch,  that  the  character  given  of 
him  in  the  Houfe  of  Commons,  by  his  friend 
Sir  Charles  Bunbury,  feems  by  no  means  exagge- 
rated— cc  That  he  was  even  a  hero  to  his  valet  de 
"chambre  !" 

The  giddinefs  of  extreme  youth,  and  remark- 
able levity  of  my  difpofition  at  that  time,  was 
not  calculated  to  fecure  the  attachment  of  this 
illuftrious  character,  although  in  every  fubfequent\ 
trial  I  have  found  in  him  a  moft  complaifant  and/ 
liberal  benefactor. 

It  was  now  my  deftiny  to  become  acquainted 
with  a  man  in  almoft  every  inftance  the  reverfe  of 
the  former,  but  he  ftill  pofTefTed  that  charm,  which, 
with  my  turn  for  extravagance,  fupported  the 
place  of  every  other.  Mr.  Fazakerley  was  rich^ 

8  and 


(     6°    ) 

and  what  rendered  him  yet  more  valuable  in  my 
fight,  he  vt&s  generous  !  He  offered  me  his  houfe 
and  prefented  to  me  his  purfe ;  money  feemed 
no  object  to  him,  and  fuch  a  man  was  adapted  to 
my  purpofe.  Neverthelefs,  it  was  my  nature  to 
be  candid,  I  therefore  JrajnJdy~-te4d-4mTr  that  I 
was  four  mpjiths^axTvanced  in  pregnancy ;  and 
concluded  by  faying,  that  he  probably  might 
deem  this  circumftance  an  obftacle  to  our  connec- 
/  tion.  He  waved  however  the  objection,  made 
the  moft  liberal  offers,  Tnfifted  on  my  applying  to 
no  other  quarter  for  protection,  and  during  four 
years  he  fupported  me  and  my  daughter,  without 
permitting  me  to  draw  from  Mr.  Fox  the  leaft 
fupply  whatever. 

Mr.  Fazakerley  made  with  me  the  tour  of 
Europe,  and  did  all  in  his  power -to  cultivate  my 
underftanding,  and  to  give  me  all  that  fuperficial 
knowledge  and  acquirements  which  are  confidered 
to  yield  fuch  a  polifh  to  our  travelled  ladies.  If 
I  had  not  profited  by  the  advantages  that  offered 
themfelves  during  my  acquaintance  with  this 
gentleman,  I  mould  deferve  more  misfortunes 

than 


(    6.     ) 

than  I  have  even  yet  endured,  if  it  were  poffible 
they  could  fall  to  the  lot  of  any  one  human  being ; 
but,  I  truft  that  my  mind  has  not  been  altogether 
unimproved ;  and  if  my  heart  may  have  been 
corrected  by  the  former  gentleman,  my  under- 
ftahding  and  perfon  have  certainly  acquired  gra- 
ces and  accomplifhments  from  the  pains  beftowed 
on  me  by  the  latter.  I  am  therefore  bound  to 
acknowledge  thofe  obligations  to  Mr.  Fazakerley, 
for  the  attention  I  received  from  him  during  four 
years,  as  well  as  for  many  liberal  pecuniary  fa- 
vours ;  but  as  to  the  real  happinefs,  I  never 
enjoyed  it  under  the  aufpices  of  this  gentleman, 
his  temper  being  extremely  morofe  and  capricious ; 
nor  had  he  any  of  thofe  qualities  formed  to  con- 
ciliate the  affections  of  a  delicate  woman. 

At  the  end  of  four  years,  this  connection  was 
difTolved,  and  unfortunately  for  me,  all  his  friend- 
Jhip  perifhed  with  it. 

During  my  misfortunes,  he  has  never  liftened 
to  my  complaints ;  the  more  miferies  were  accu- 
mulated on  my  wretched  head,  the  more  callous 

did 


did  his  heart  feem  to  what  I  fuffered,  and  he  at 
length  concluded  by  withdrawing  an  annuity  of 
two  hundred  pounds,  which  he  had  promifed  fhould 
be  continued  during  my  life. 

I  had  now  formed  an  acquaintance  with  Lord 
Hervey.  Of  this  noble  Lord  I  have  fpoken  in 
the  preceding  pages,  and  even  at  this  moment  I 
cannot  reflect  on  the  virtues  and  fplendid  qualities 
that  diftinguifh  the  mind  and  perfon  of  his  Lord- 
fhip,  without  the  moft  lively  fenfibility.  With 
him  I  enjoyed,  for  feveral  months,  all  the  com- 
forts and  delights  of  domeftic  life,  and  with  him 
I  continued  until  he  was  appointed,  by  his  Bri- 
tannic Majefty,  Envoy  at  a  foreign  court. 

Attached  to  my  native  country  (America)  I 
fancy  the  reader  will  have  already  difcovered  that 
I  am  by  no  means  a  friend  to  arbitrary  princi- 
ples ;  nor  is  it  becaufe  I  admire  the  man,  that  I 
am  to  be  confidered  a  convert  to  his  political 
notions. 

I   was   therefore  concerned  when    I    read   the 
manifefto  which  he  publtmed  at  that  court,  dur- 
ing 


ing  his  embafly.  Nothing,  however,  can  abate 
the  lively  gratitude  and  efteem  which  my  heart 
feels  for  this  valuable  friend. — His  Lordmip  had 
left  me  only  a  few  months,  when  I  brought  forth 
a  pledge  of  our  union,  a  daughter,  whom  death 
foon  ravimed  from  me:  previous  to  which  lofs,  a 
new  and  amiable  connection  called  me  back  to 
Ireland,  where  I  received  the  above  fatal  intelli- 
gence, which  was  a  terrible  drawback  upon  the 
happinefs  I  then  enjoyed.  Captain  B******, 
my  new  lover,  was  every  way  calculated  to  oblit- 
erate the  impreffion  I  might  have  received  from 
former  admirers,  and  to  footh  the  affliction 
which  I  felt  for  the  lofs  of  my  dear  and  beloved 
child.  From  him  I  have  uniformly  experienced 
every  kindnefs  that  the  tendereft  affection  could 
beftow.  The  roving  habits  of  a  military  life 
did  not  admit  any  •permanent  attachment  of  this 
nature ;  but  it  is  fufficiently  flattering  to  me, 
that  Mr.  B******  never  omitted  an  occafion  of 
feeking  my  fociety. 

The  fruits  of  our  connection    are   two  fons, 
both  now  living,  and  both  happy  under  the  pro- 
tection 


(     64     ) 

tection  of  their  worthy  parent,  who  is  himfelf 
lately  united  in  marriage  with  a  lady  who,  I  am 
told,  poflefles  every  virtue  and  every  neceflary 
accomplishment  to  fecure  his  happinefs,  and  with 
whom  I  ardently  wifh  him  a  continuation  of  all 
the  bleflings  and  enjoyments  which  he  fo  emi- 
nently deferves.  Let  me,  however,  indulge  the 
hope,  without  wifhing  to  ftrew  the  thorns  of 
jealoufy  or  difcontent  on  her  bridal  pillow,  that 
he  will  never  utterly  neglect  his  former  friend,  the 
mother  of  his  chi'dren.  Humanity,  and  friend- 
fhip  for  others,  are  not  uncongenial  with  conju- 
gal fidelity,  and  if  I  am  rightly  informed  of  Lady 

A 's    character,    me    is    not    the    woman    to 

encourage  a  dereliction  of  thofe  duties.  The 
honourable  connection  that  Mr.  B******  has 
formed  is  incompatible  with  the  union  that  once 
fubfifted  between  us,  and  if  previous  thereto 
there  had  been  any  chafm  in  that  union,  it  was 
becaufe  his  fortune  could  not  keep  pace  with  my 
former  extravagance. 

Confident  am   I,   from  all  the  proofs  I   have 
had  of  his  generous  and   affectionate  heart,   that 

the 


(    65    ) 

the  manifold  forrows  I  have  undergone,  if  he 
had  porTefled  the  power,  I  mould  have  been 
fpared  the  fuffering.  I  could  dwell  longer  on 
this  endearing  theme,  but  prudence  commands 
me  to  draw  the  veil. 

I  now  enter  on  the  fubjecl  of  a  gentleman, 
whom  honour,  gratitude,  and  every  refined  fen- 
timent  which  dignifies  the  foul  of  woman,  and 
imprefTes  it  with  a  fenfe  of  paft  obligations,  com- 
pel me  to  mention.  Generofity  and  fincerity 
were  his  mining  character! flics — a  friend  to  all 
mankind,  bimfelf  excepted.  The  opennefs  of 
Mr.  Giffard's  difpofition  everlaftingly  expofed 
him  to  the  villanies  and  bafe  projects  of  nefari- 
ous gamblers  and  intriguers  of  every  defcription; 
nay,  even  in  that  elevated  circle  of  ariftocracy  in 
which  he  moved,  there  were  not  wanting  ennobled 
wretches  to  form  their  fchemes  of  plunder  and 
robbery  againft  him.  The  lories  which  Mr. 
Giffard  fuftained  from  thefe  honourable  connec- 
tions were  fatal  to  himfelf  and  family.  Unfuf- 
picious  of  the  treachery  to  which  he  had  been 
the  dupe,  he  paid  to  the  laft  guinea,  although  to 

accomplim 


(    66    ) 

accomplim  that  payment,  he  had  been  obliged  to 
difcharge  his  eflablimment,  and  to  difpofe  of  his 
equipage.  Stupid  muft  be  the  mind  that  would 
not  have  been  corrected  by  fatal  experience  like 
this,  and  happy  am  1  to  learn,  that  from  a  regu- 
lar fyftem  of  oeconomy  which  he  has  of  late 
adopted,  and  through  the  interpofition  of  his 
relations,  his  finances  are  repaired,  and  thus  a 
moft  worthy  man  reftored  to  his  country. 

Ungrateful  mould  I  be  if  I  did  not  rejoice  in 
every  profperity  which  he  enjoys.  From  him, 
during  the  time  I  was  fo  happy  as  to  partake  of 
his  efteem,  I  received  pecuniary  favours  that 
almoft  outran  my  own  extravagance — and  it  was 
only  the  derangement  of  his  affairs,  that  could 
have  put  a  period  to  them. 

While  with  Mr.  Giffard,  my  humble  roof  was 
often  vifited  by  princes  of  the  Blood  Royal,  and 
by  Nobles  of  the  higheft  diftinction — and  here, 
I  mould  do  a  violence  to  my  own  feelings,  if  I 
did  not  draw  a  juft  comparifon  in  favour  of  ple- 
beian virtue;  let  me  then  honeftly  proclaim  to  the 

world, 


(    67     ) 

world,  fuperior  to  flattery  or  dimmulation,  that 
in  my  journey  through  life  I  have  found  more 
liberality  of  fentiment,  more  candour  and  ingen- 
uoufnefs  in  this  plain  country  gentleman,  and 
others  of  a  fimilar  defcription,  than  I  ever  expe- 
rienced from  a  certain  Duke  of  royal  lineage. 

But  where  is  the  wonder  ?  Fidelity  to  vows  is 
not  the  virtue  of  princes.  At  perjuries  with  wo- 
men they  only  laugh.  During  my  hard  diftrefles 
in  a  horrid  jail,  often  did  I  apply  to  this  Royal 
Lothario,  this  perfidious  Lovelace,  but  who,  alas  ! 
had  none  of  the  accomplifhments  that  Lovelace 
could  boaft  of;  and  the  fruit  of  my  application 
was  filence — dead,  monotonous,  obftinate  filence  ! 
Beware  then,  ye  of  my  unhappy  fex,  how  you  are 
beguiled  by  the  gew-gaw  of  royal  fplendour ! 
Nurfed  in  the  lap  of  luxury,  fatiated  with  enjoy- 
ments, the  hearts  of  princes  are  callous  to  the 
purer  delights  of  exquifite  fenfibility.  Princes  live 
only  for  themfelves :  they  conceive  that  men  and 
women  are  made  merely  for  them,  to  be  the  paflive 
inftruments  of  their  voluptuoufnefs,  and  are  only 
furprifed  when  the  leaft  recompence  is  required 

from 


(     68     ) 

from  them,  as  a  poor  indemnity  for  the  dearefl 
facrifices  that  have  been  made  to  footh  their  paf- 
fions.  All  I  can  fay  is,  that  if  this  princely  Lotha- 
rio mines  not  with  greater  advantage  in  the  plains 
of  Mars  than  he  excels  in  the  groves  of  Venus, 
the  combined  forces  have  little  to  expect  from  his 
martial  exertions. 

In  the  month  of  May,  1788,  annoyed  by  my 
creditors,  and  Mr.  Giffard's  finances  being  at  that 
time  exceedingly  deranged,  he  could  only  offer  cer- 
tain terms  to  my  creditors,  giving  one  thoufand 
pounds  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Thomas  Vaughan, 
of  Suffolk-ftreet,  Middlesex  Hofpital,  for  the 
purpofe  of  fettling  with  them;  while  it  was  judged 
expedient  that  I  mould  tranfport  myfelf  to  the 
continent,  there  to  remain  during  eight  or  ten 
months.  I  mould  be  loth  to  caft  reflections  on 
any  man,  and  I  conceive  it  now  neceflary  to  extri- 
cate Mr.  Vaughan  from  afperfions  which  have 
been  thrown  out  againft  him. 

My  debts  at  this  time  amounted  to  near  three 
thoufand  pounds,  including  attorney's  bills,  for 

it 


(     69     ) 

it  has  been  my  lot  always  to  pay  full  fixty  fhil- 
lings  for  every  twenty:  it  was  therefore  propo- 
fed,  that  the  one  thoufand  pounds  fo  generoufly 
granted  by  my  munificent  friend  mould  be  applied 
only  to  the  payment  of  fuch  debts  as  had  been 
contracted  while  I  refided  under  the  protection  of 
Mr.  Giffard,  considering  himfelf  in  honour  bound 
to  difcharge  them.  But  firft,  there  was  an  offer 
made  to  all  my  creditors  in  general,  of  ten  mil- 
lings in  the  pound,  which  they  were  foolim 
enough  to  refufe ;  thus  I  was  under  the  neceflity 
of  protracting  my  refidence  abroad. 

On  my  arrival  in  Paris,  I  had  taken  my  refi- 
dence  at  the  Hotel  de  1'Univerfite,  where  it  was 
my  fortune  to  meet  once  more  that  favourite  of 
the  fair  fex,  that  renowned  warrior,  equal  to  both, 
and  armed  for  either  field,  whofe  glorious  exploits 
in  the  blood-ftained  ranks  of  Long-Ifland  and 
Charleston  can  teftify,  and  whofe  fuperior  excel- 
lence in  thofe  fofter  engagements,  in  the  Italian 
vales,  Mademoifelle  la  Maire  and  fo  many  other 
Pariiian  belles  have  equally  witnefled. 

This 


(     7°     ) 

This  heroic  chief,  this  fecond  Agamemnon, 
uniting  all  accomplilhments — the  fierceft  foldier 
in  war,  the  gentleft  fwain  in  love — did  me  the 
honour  to  take  me  under  his  protection. 

He  was  my  cecifbeo,  who  made  me  acquainted 
with  all  the  beauties  of  that  fuperb  and  magnifi- 
cent city ;  he  introduced  me  into  all  the  gay  and 
brilliant  circles,  of  which  he  himfelf  fhone  the 
fplendid  ornament.  The  intelligent  reader,  on 
perufing  the  above,  will  not  be  at  a  lofs  to  dif- 
cover,  that  I  allude  to  General  D ********. 
With  this  military  and  amorous  Quixote  there 
was  a  young  man,  nearly  related,  and  to  whom, 
fuch  is  the  ftrange  organization  of  the  female 
mind!  I  am  fair  to  confefs,  that  I  gave  the  pre- 
ference over  his  formidable  and  illuftrious  rival. 
Jealoufy  is  the  characteriftic  of  love — I  had  made 
an  impreflion  on  the  heart  of  the  veteran  beau  ; 
he  Jufpefled  (and  his  fujpicions  were  not  wrong) 
that  there  was  a  fecret  underftanding  between 
myfelf  and  his  younger  companion :  yielding 
thereto,  he  kept  a  fteady  watch  over  all  our 
actions,  and  when  the  filent  hour  approached  that 

lovers 


lovers  dedicate  to  the  deity  of  their  adoration, 
my  antique  admirer,  eager  to  convince  himfelf  of 
the  truth  of  what  he  fufpected,  pofted  himfelf  in 
an  obfcure  corner,  where,  by  favour  of  the  moon, 

he  traced  Sir  R *  to  my  apartments, — and, 

as  foon  as  he  knew  that  his  conjectures  were  well 
founded,  he  withdrew  all  friendfhip,  and,  I  fear, 

has    never    fince    forgiven    me. "At  lover's 

"quarrels,"  they  fay,  "Jove  laughs  ;"  although 
this  quarrel  turned  out  ferious,  fince  no  corref- 
pondence  has  fubfifted  between  us  fince  the  above 
fatal  period.  But  if  Agamemnon  withdrew  him- 
felf he  ftill  left  a  Paris  behind  to  confole  me. 

Sir  Robert  Harland,  the  next  day  informed 
me,  that  my  late  admirer  was  fo  exceedingly 
offended,  that  it  would  render  my  longer  con- 
tinuance, in  the  fame  hotel,  very  difagreeable  ; 

1  therefore  departed,  taking  lodgings  at  the 

Hotel  de  la  Reine,  Rue  des  Bons  Enfans. — I 
was  no  fooner  fettled  in  my  new  apartment, 
than  one  of  my  fervants  told  me  that  my  huf- 

band 

*  Sir     R*****     H******. 


band  lodged  in  the  fame  houfe,  and  as  he  was  the 
loft  man  in  the  world  whom  I  wifhed  to  fee,  I 
inftantly  took  leave  of  the  landlord,  and  went  to 
Madame  Lafar's  Hotel,  Rue  Caumartin  ;  a  lady 
who  happily  pofleffes  the  convenient  accommodating 
talents  of  obliging  all  her  guefts,  both  male  and 
female,  never  afking  impertinent  queftions,  and 
being  perfectly  indifferent  as  to  the  mode  of 
arrangement  amongft  them.  In  this  hotel  I 
found  the  famous  Colonel  Me.  Carthy,  who  was 
pleafed  to  honour  me  with  his  particular  attention. 
By  this  gentleman  I  was  introduced  to  the  Mar- 
quis de  Genlis,  whofe  fuperb  hotel  was  the  con- 
ftant  receptacle  of  all  the  elegants  of  that  once 
luxurious  city. — 'This  nobleman^  in  his  youth,  had 
been  the  moft  accomplimed  -petit  maitre  of  the 
day,  and  in  the  decline  of  life,  when  I  knew  him, 
he  reminded  me  very  much,  both  in  his  drefs  and 

addrefs,  of  our  old  Duke  of  Q •-.  The  French 

Marquis,  however,  was  rather  more  celebrated 
for  hofpitality  than  the  Scotch  Duke. — When 
I  retrace  in  my  imagination  the  nocturnal  orgies, 
and  every  refinement  of  luxury,  that  was  vifible 
in  this  temple  of  voluptuoufnefs,  contrafting  it 

with 


(     73     ) 

with  the  prefent  gloomy  fcene,  which  my  mind 
pidtures  to  itfelf,  I,  in  fome  meafure,  forget  my 
own  forrows  :  The  Graces,  I  am  told,  have  en- 
tirely abandoned  that  city,  where  they  had  fo 
long  refided, — Stern,  inexorable  republican  vir- 
tue has  ufurped  the  empire  which  they  once  held, 
and  politics  now  fupply  the  place  of  gallantry 
and  love. — The  ill-fated  brother  of  M.  de  Genlis, 
the  Marquis  de  Sillery,  hufband  to  the  accom- 
plifhed  writer  of  that  name,  tainted  by  education 
with  the  prejudices  of  artftocracy,  and  vitiated  by 
the  long  habits  of  Parifian  debauchery,  has  lately 
fuffered  under  the  fatal  axe  of  the  guillotine  ; 
and  this  example,  confirmed  by  fo  many  others, 
ought  to  ferve  as  a  wholefome  and  moft  ufeful 
leffon,  how,  at  this  juncture,  perfons  embark  on 
the  dangerous  ocean  of  politics,  unlefs  they  are 
really  and  honeftly  attached  to  the  principles 
which  they  profefs. 

The  Jacobin  Club  is  undoubtedly  (whatever 
it  may  be  in  other  refpects)  the  moft  vigilant  and 
enlightened  corps  of  diplomacy  in  Europe.  In- 
numerable inftances  have  proved  the  impoffibility 

of 


(     74     ) 

of  efcaping  their  keen,  penetrating  refearches, 
and  the  leaft  deviation  from  the  path  of  the 
Conftitution,  (that  is,  from  the  unity  and  irrdi- 
vifibility  of  the  Republic)  is  fure  to  meet  detec- 
tion, and  to  be  followed  by  an  ignominious 
death.  Let  us  then  implore  the  grace  of  Divine 
Providence  to  put  an  end  to  thefe  horrors  ! 

To  refume  the  thread  of  my  narrative — About 
the  latter  end  of  July,  1788,  a  Mr.  Beckett,  with 
whom  I  become  acquainted,  and  for  which  ac- 
quaintance I  am  indebted  to  my  old  friend,  Colo- 
nel Freemantle,  came  to  Paris.  He  lived  in  the 
fame  hotel  with  myfelf,  in  the  greateft  fplendour ; 
his  table  was  continually  crouded  by  perfons  of 
the  higheft  rank,  amongft  whom  were  the  late 
unfortunate  Due  d'Orleans,  the  Dues  de  Mont- 
morenci,  Pienne,  Prince  Louis  d'Aremberg, 
Marquis  de  Bouille,  &c.  &c.  &c. — Amidft  my 
manifold  misfortunes,  I  confider  it  fome  confola- 
tion  that  the  perfons  with  whom  I  have  been 
acquainted  were  the  moft  part  diftinguifhed  for 
genius  and  talents,  and  this  young  man  was 
remarkably  fo  : — Mr.  Beckett  flattered  me  by  his 

addrefses, 


(    75    ) 

addreffes,  at  a  time  when  all  the  Parifian  beauties 
were  emulous  with  each  other  for  his  affections  : 
whether  it  were  vanity,  affection,  preference,  or  any 
fentiment  bordering  on  felf-love,  I  will  not  fay ; 
but,  living  in  the  fame  hotel  with  him,  he  continu- 
ally made  choice  of  me  as  the  Sultana  to  prefide 
at  his  table,  and  I  had  the  direction  of  all  his 
entertainments.  At  the  end  of  four  months, 
after  various  oblique  and  fruitlefs  hints,  Madame 
Lafar  became  clamorous  for  payment  of  her  bill, 
which  amounted  to  thefmal/Jum  of  five  hundred 
pounds.  He  drew  bills  upon  his  father  for  fif- 
teen hundred  pounds,  which  were  the  amount  of 
his  whole  debts.  A  fpecial  courier  was  difpatched 
to  England,  and  as  the  father  would  not,  or  could 
not,  pay  the  extravagant  demands  of  his  fon,  the 
bills  returned  to  Paris  protefted.  In  this  fituation 
I  advifed  him  to  confult  his  own  countrymen, 
then  in  Paris :  He  was  at  that  time  intimately 
acquainted-  with  Lord  Gillford,  fon  of  Lord 
Clanwilliam.  This  young  nobleman  affured  him 
that  he  had  only  a  few  hours  to  determine  on  his 
efcape,  as  he  had  private  information  that  Ma- 
dame Lafar  meant  to  arreft  him. — I  muft  do  Mr. 

10  Beckett 


Beckett  the  juftice  to  fay,  that  it  was  with  the 
utmoft  reluctance  that  he  purfued  the  advice  of 
his  friends,  as  he  exprefled  ftrong  apprehenfions 
for  my  fafety ;  however,  touched  with  his  gene- 
rofity,  I  became  entirely  regardlefs  of  myfelf,  and 
positively  infifted  on  his  flight, — and  he  yielded 
obedience. — He  had  not  departed  many  hours 
before  all  his  creditors  were  in  an  uproar ;  the 
hue  and  cry  was  raifed,  that  an  Englimman  had 
run  away  for  his  debts  :  the  police  officers  were 
fent  after  him,  but  returned  with  forrowful  coun- 
tenances, their  miflion  unaccomplifhed. 

Madame  Lafar,  who,  poor  dear  woman !  was 
the  principal  fufferer,  now  turned  all  her  ven- 
geance againft  me,  knowing  that  I  had  a  travel- 
ling poft-chaife  and  a  chariot,  together  with  feveral 
valuable  effects ;  on  thefe  articles  me  fixed  her 
attention,  determined  to  plunder  me. 

Two  days  after  Mr.  Beckett  left  Paris  I  was, 
while  on  a  vifit  at  Madame  Smith's,  informed  by 
Mr.  Robert  Knight,  (another  of  the  few  good 
men  I  have  found  in  the  world)  that  his  carriage 

had 


(     77     ) 

had  juft  been  furrounded  by  a  party  of  armed 
ruffians,  inquiring  for  me,  and  he  had  fcarcely 
uttered  the  words  when  the  houfe  of  Madame 
Smith  was  befet  by  at  leaft  an  hundred  men,  pre- 
ceded by  Mr.  de  Lomprey,  exempt  de  police. 
My  friends ,  alarmed  for  my  fituation,  (for  I  was 
feven  months  advanced  in  pregnancy)  intreated 
the  exempt  to  difmifs  his  followers — Mr.  Knight 
kindly  pledging  himfelf  to  be  refponfible  for  any 
complaint  which  they  had  to  make  againft  me. 
Mr.  de  Lomprey  replied,  "  that  he  had  a  lettre 
"  de  cachet  from  the  King,  ordering  me  to  close 
"  confinement  in  the  Hotel  de  la  Force"  My 
valuable  friend,  who  was  a  young  man  of  very 
independent  fortune,  would  not  fuffer  this  arbi- 
trary aft  of  power  to  be  exercifed  againft  an  help- 
lefs  woman,  without  firft  demanding  that  fatis- 
faftion  to  which  he  thought  me  entitled.  He, 
therefore,  at  that  late  hour,  went  to  the  Duke  of 
Dorfet,  the  Engli/h  Ambaflador:  his  Grace  was 
from  home :  thus  I  was  obliged  to  go,  at  two 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  to  the  manfion  of  flavery, 
the  Hotel  de  la  Force.  I  had  with  me  my  infant 
fon,  then  only  two  years  old.  The  innocence  of 

this 


(     78     ) 

this  tender  lamb,  who  feemed  fenfible  that  fome 
misfortune  had  happened,  overcame  what  refolu- 
tion  I  pofTefled ;  he  held  up  his  little  bands  and 
cried  out,  "  Oh  !  you  mail  not  hurt  my  Mother  /" 
Mr.  Knight,  however,  comforted  me  by  every 
aflurance  of  protecting  the  child,  and  carried  him 
away  in  his  carriage,  having  firfl  attended  me  him- 
felf  to  the  wretched  apartment  deftined  for  me. 
A  miferable  bed  of  ftraw,  with  one  wretched 
blanket,  was  all  the  furniture  in  the  room,  and 
the  floor  was  completely  covered  with  vermin. 
'Till  this  moment  I  was  a  ftranger  to  prifons ; 
therefore  my  mind  was  more  fenfible  to  theftiock: 
but  even  now  that  I  have  been  habituated  to  the 
horrors  of  confinement,  I  cannot  conceive  fuch  a 
dreadful  epitome  of  wretchednefs  as  this  vile 
dungeon,  on  mature  reflection,  frill  appears  to  be; 
and,  for  the  fake  of  humanity,  I  fervently  pray, 
that  if  it  be  not  already  done,  the  new  government 
of  France  may  utterly  deftroy  fimilar  abominations. 

— My  woman,  the  faithful  partner  of  all  my 
misfortunes,  accompanied  me,  nor  could  even 
this  fpectacle  of  horror  induce  her  to  forfake  her 

miftrefs. 


(     79     ) 

miftrefs.  We  parted  the  few  remaining  hours 
converting  on  the  fudden  tranfition  of  fortune — 
I  wifhed  to  convince  her  of  the  mutability  of 
human  happinefs — In  three  days  1  was  reduced 
from  fcenes  of  pleafure  and  tranquility  to  my 
prefent  wretched  condition !  As  foon  as  day 
approached,  we  examined  our  fad  habitation  :  the 
firft  object  that  ftruck  my  eye  was  a  huge  tremen- 
dous padlock,  projecting  from  the  cieling,  and  to 
which  was  fattened  an  immenfe  iron  collar.  We 
could  not  at  firft  imagine  the  ufe  of  this  frightful 
instrument ;  but  my  poor,  faithful  attendant  foon 
guefTed  it,  and  exclaimed,  "  O,  Madam  !  it  is  to 
"  fatten  us  up  at  night!"  She  had  fcarce  uttered 
thefe  words  when  the  jailer  appeared,  (for,  in 
France,  it  is  a  duty  exacted  from  the  keeper  of 
fuch  a  place  to  pay  perfonal  attendance  to  the 
unfortunate  in  his  power :}  he  had  a  great  bunch 
of  keys  in  his  hand :  he  walked  up  to  me,  and 
immediately  cried  out,  "  Oh,  del!  quel dommage  !" 
adding,  that  he  had  received  orders  from  the  gov- 
ernment to  treat  me  with  the  greateft  refpect. 
This  civil  Frenchman  ended  his  harangue  by 
requefting  me  to  give  him  permiflion  to  order  my 

breakfaft. 


(     80     ) 

breakfaft.  I  thanked  him  for  his  politenefs,  but 
declined  receiving  any  refrefhment  until  my  friends 
came  to  me.  At  a  very  early  hour  (before  noon) 
Mr.  Knight,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Weftern,  the 
prefent  member  for  Maiden,  paid  me  a  vifit. 
Thefe  gentlemen,  in  concert  with  Capt.  Winder, 
of  the  guards,  were  for  ever  employed  to  obtain 
my  liberty,  availing  themfelves  of  a  moft  necef- 
fary  and  humane  law  that  exifts  in  France,  pro- 
hibiting the  imprifonment  of  pregnant  women  for 
debt.  If  fuch  laws  were  in  full  force  under  the 
moft  defpotic  government  of  Europe,  how  much 
more  confiftent  were  it  in  force  under  that  which 
calls  itfelf  the  moft  free  ?  Aged  perfons  were  alfo 
exempt  from  this  penalty ;  but  here  our  ears  are 
for  ever  ftunned  with  the  found  of  liberty  and 
humanity !  women  in  the  pangs  of  childbed — 
men  in  the  agonies  of  death,  (fuch  inftances  have 
occurred)  in  virtue  of  a  meriff's  writ,  may  be 
dragged  to  the  moft  loathfome  jail.  Were  it  not 
then  devoutly  to  be  wifhed,  that  our  legiflators,  in- 
ftead  of  empty  panegyric,  would  afford  us  a  little 
of  the  fubftance  ?  In  my  own  opinion,  who  have 
done  fome  experience  in  thefe  cafes,  the  reafon  why 

fuch 


fuch  horrible  laws  are  fuffered  to  exift,  is  under 
the  fuppofition  of  their  being  feldom  or  ever 
executed  ;  the  fact,  however,  is  notorioufly  other- 
wife  ;  at  all  events,  policy,  as  well  as  mercy, 
requires,  the  national  character  demands,  that  the 
life  of  freemen  mould  not  be  expofed  to  the  dif- 
cretion,  or  depend  on  the  pity,  of  a  fheriff 's  officer. 

Madame  Lafar,  alarmed,  leaft  I  mould  efcape 
out  of  the  fnare  me  had  laid,  endeavoured  to 
perfuade  my  friends  I  was  not  in  the  predica- 
ment defcribed ;  but  all  her  projects  failed,  as 
they  infifted  on  a  confultation  of  the  faculty, 
who  afcertained  my  pregnancy ;  at  the  fame  time 
expreffing  apprehenfions  of  immediate  labour 
from  the  fudden  revolution  I  had  undergone. 
In  this  fituation,  a  female  of  my  acquaintance 
(although  by  no  means  a  lady  of  rigid  virtue,  not 
therefore  lefs  fufceptible  of  generofity  and  com- 
pamon)  immediately  repaired  to  Monfieur  Pac- 
quet,  then  firft  Prefident  of  the  Parliament  of 
Paris,  relating  the  circumftance,  and  at  the  fame 
time  giving  a  miniature  picture  of  me.  This 
gentleman  went  the  following  day  to  Verfailles,  and 

informing 


informing  Monfieur  and  the  Comte  d'Artois,  the 
late  Kings  brothers,  of  my  misfortune,  they,  with  a 
generous  fympathy  rarely  to  be  found  in  princes, 
and  which  caufes  me  to  lament  moft  bitterly  their 
fad  reverfe  of  fortune,  took  pity  on  my  fituation 
and  became  my  advocates ;  and  in  a  few  hours  I 
received  his  Majefty's  order  for  my  releafe.  The 
Comte  d'Artois,  in  particular,  entered  into  the 
hardfhips  of  my  cafe,  and  on  delivering  the  King's 
fignature,  cancelling  the  letter  de  cachet,  advifed 
that  I  mould  put  myfelf  under  protection  of  his 
palace,*  fignifying  that  Mr.  Beckett's  creditors 
might  then  proceed  againft  me  in  a  court  of  law. 
The  inftant  I  returned  from  prifon,  I  went  accord- 
ingly to  the  Place  du  Temple,  where  I  had  not 
remained  many  hours  before  I  received  a  vi fit  from 

the  Due  de  F ,  another  nobleman  who  alfo 

boafts  of  royal  blood  in  his  veins,  but  whofe  actions 
unfortunately  were  not  calculated  to  efface  thofe 
unfavourable  prepofTerTions  with  which  I  had  been 
infpired  by  a  fimilar  conduct  in  a  truly  royal  Duke, 

who 

*  The  Temple  at  Paris,  where  Louis  XVI.  and  the  royal  family  were 
confined,  was  formerly  a  palace  occupied  by  the  Comte  d'Artois,  and  its 
environs  afforded  protection  to  unhappy  inlblvent  debtors. 


who  now  makes  fuch  a  capital  figure  on  the  theatre 
of  European  politics.  The  familiar  epithet  applied 

to  the  ci-devant  Due  de  F in  Paris,  (that  loyal 

and  renowned  emigrant)  was  an  efcroc  (in  Englifh 
fignifying  fharper  or  Greek).  All  I  can  fay  is, 
that  I  have  no  reafon  to  difpute  the  propriety  of 
the  application. 

In  my  new  abode  I  had  foon  the  mortification 
to  learn  from  my  fervants,  that  my  two  car- 
riages, together  with  all  my  clothes  and  jewels, 
were  feized  by  Mr.  Beckett's  creditors,  fo  that  I 
was,  in  an  inftant,  ftripped  of  every  neceflary,  in 
a  country  where  I  had  no  connections  but  fuch 
as  had  been  formed  on  the  principles  of  intereft. 
Thus  circumftanced,  a  young  I  rim  nobleman,  in 
whofe  favour  I  had  made  an  exception,  and  from 
my  general  opinion  of  his  friendship  I  had  con- 
fidence, I  frankly  communicated  what  had  be- 
fallen me,  and  received  from  his  Lordfhip  every 
affurance  of  •protection  ;  but  his  fortune  not  being 
adequate  to  his  generofity,  he  immediately  pro- 
pofed  a  fubfcription  amongft  my  friends  then  in 
Paris,  and  in  the  courfe  of  twenty-four  hours  I 

ii  found 


found  myfelf,  through  their  exertions,  in  poflef- 
fion  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  louis  d'or's. 

I  have  before  obferved,  that  adverfity  is  the 
true  criterion  of  friendfhip,  and  I  am  bound  in 
gratitude  to  render  juftice  to  that  virtue  in  the 
French  nation. 

In  France  I  ever  met  with  the  greateft  human- 
ity, tempered  with  delicacy  and  politenefs  ;  and 
if  my  misfortunes,  during  the  latter  part  of  my 
refidence  in  that  country,  called  for  the  aid  of 
others,  I  alfo  received  it ;  at  the  fame  time  it 
was  always  conveyed  in  a  manner  which  reflected 
honour  on  the  generous  donors,  ever  unaccom- 
panied with  thofe  difgufting  marks  of  oftentation 
which  too  frequently  attend  acts  of  pecuniary 
relief. 

I  remained  fix  months  in  the  Temple,  and 
returned  to  England  ten  days  before  that  glorious 
epoch,  the  I4th  of  July,  1789,  when  Frenchmen 
threw  off  for  ever  THE  YOKE  OF  SLAVERY.  Oh  ! 
may  that  day  yield  an  awful  and  impreflive  leflbn ! 
It  forms  an  aera  replete  with  events  ftill  in  the 

womb 


womb  of  time  to  produce.  It  threatens  deftruc- 
tion  to  long  eftablifhed  fyftems — to  long  eftab- 
limed  orders.  It  prefages  revolution,  and  ftrikes 
at  thofe  antique  governments,  in  defence  of  which 
fo  many  of  my  anceftors  have  bled. 

Should  they  have  bled  in  vain,  and  if  a  new 
order  of  things  be  deftined  to  fucceed,  may 
humanity  ftill  profit  by  the  change  !  may  a  more 
equal  diftribution  of  fublunary  enjoyments  ban- 
ifh  from  the  face  of  the  earth  thofe  fcenes  of 
horror  that  have  fo  long  tortured  the  fight  and 
difgraced  the  policy  of  focial  inftitutions  !  Per- 
haps the  Millennium,  fo  long  and  fo  anxioufiy 
anticipated,  is  at  hand,  when  nations  will  be 
linked  in  one  fraternal  bond — when  civil  difcord 
and  foreign  wars  mall  ceafe  to  defolate  the  world. 
Whichever  party  may  prevail  in  this  tremendous 
crifis,  my  only  prayer  is,  that  it  may  terminate 
to  the  advantage  and  improvement  of  the  human 
race ! — The  reader  will  pardon  thefe  frequent 
digreflions  ;  they  arife  naturally  from  the  fub- 
ject,  and  are  the  fpontaneous  emanations  of  a 
foul  fraught  with  fenfibility,  and  glowing  with 

zeal 


(     86     ) 

zeal  for  the  general  happinefs  and  improvement 
of  mankind.  I  have  formerly  experienced  from 
Frenchmen  compaflion  and  generofity ;  and  I 
have  fometimes  found  thofe  virtues  in  the  Eng- 
lifh.  Born  in  America,  and  refident  many  years 
in  England,  I  feel  no  local  partialities,  no  pre- 
porTeflions  or  difgufts — my  country  is  the  world  ! 
and  whatever  the  political  fentiments  of  others 
may  be,  I  confider  it  the  duty  of  citizens  to 
yield  implicit  fubmiffion  to  the  laws  of  that 
government  under  which  they  live. 

Pafling  eighteen  months  in  France,  under  her 
ancient  monarchy,  I  had  the  opportunity  of 
manifefting  my  refpect  to  the  laws  which  then 
exifted  ;  and  if  I  were  at  prefent  in  that  nation, 
now  that  it  has  judged  proper  to  adopt  the  re- 
publican form  of  government,  I  mould  hold 
myfelf  equally  bound,  faithfully  to  obey  the 
laws  of  that  Republic. 

Such  are  my  opinions,  which  I  believe  are 
founded  in  truth  and  juftice,  and  I  mould  be 
ever  emulous  to  preferve  the  character  of  a 

peaceful. 


(      8?      ) 

peaceful^   and,    I   hope,   in   future,   to  add,   of  a 
virtuous  citizen. 

It  is  the  fafhion  amongft  us,  vehemently  and 
outrageoufly  to  condemn  the  French  for  the  ex- 
cefles  and  cruelties  they  have  committed ;  but 
we  muft  in  candour  allow,  that  in  the  progrefs  of 
this  war  they  have  been  at  leaft  equalled  in  acls 
of  cruelty  by  the  Pruffians  and  Auftrians,  and 
far  furpafled  therein  by  their  own  emigrants. 
Very  lately  an  account  was  tranfmitted  to  the 
convention,  by  one  of  its  commiflioners  at  Lifle, 
of  an  Auftrian  foldier  taken  prifoner,  on  fearch- 
ing  whom  it  was  difcovered  that  his  cartridges 
were  poifoned,  which  at  once  explained  the  caufe 
of  that  amazing  mortality  which  had  prevailed 
amongft  the  French  wounded  foldiers. 

Monfieur  Beaulieu,  an  Auftrian  general,  on  a 
late  occafion,  previous  to  an  engagement,  like- 
wife  fignified  to  his  troops  that  prifoners  were 
only  an  incumbrance,  in  confequence  of  which  the 
foldiers  took  the  hint  and  gave  no  quarter. 

What  tender  heart  then  but  recoils  from  thofe 

dreadful 


(     88     ) 

dreadful  profcriptions  and  executions  which  now 
daily  take  place  in  that  diftracted  country  !  but  as 
in  morals,  it  would  be  held  madnefs  to  harbour  in 
our  bofom  a  ferpent  to  fting  us  to  death ;  fo  in 
politics,  the  maxim  holds  equally  good.  France 
cannot  be  denied  to  have  contained  innumerable 
enemies  within  her  bofom,  and  from  the  exter- 
minating principles  of  this  deftructive  war,  which 
operate  equally  on  both  fides,  it  is  evident  if  me 
wimed  to  confolidate  her  government,  that  if  me 
do  not  drive  to  deftroy  thofe  enemies  they  will 
finally  fucceed  to  deftroy  the  republic.  Let  us 
then  be  juft  amidft  the  violence  of  revolutionary 
paroxyfms.  We  are  not  to  expect  that  temper 
and  moderation  which  ought  to  be  the  bafis  of 
fettled,  tranquil  governments,  but  which  (we 
fatally  experience)  is  too  feldom  the  charaderiftics 
of  fuch  governments. 

To  return  to  my  fubject : — When  I  arrived  in 
London,  I  fent  to  my  houfe  in  New  Cavendifh- 
ftreet,  defiring  a  female  fervant,  whom  I  had  left 
in  charge  of  it,  to  come  to  the  hotel.  She  gave 
me  to  underftand,  that  although  feveral  of  my 

creditors 


creditors  were  much  dirTatisfied  with  the  manner 
in  which  Mr.  Vaughan  had  difpofed  of  the  money 
deftined  to  fettle  their  demands,  ftill  they  were  by 
no  means  inclined  to  harrafs  me.  Thefe  afTuran- 
ces  encouraged  me  to  return  to  my  own  houfe, 
and  in  a  few  days  ].  called  a  meeting  of  all  my 
unfatisfied  creditors  (acting  in  this  inftance  as  my 
own  attorney:)  from  them  I  obtained  a  letter  of 
licence  ;  I  however  was  fo  foolifh  as  to  afk  for 
only  fix  months  indulgence,  when  they  would 
readily  have  granted  it  for  as  many  years  ;  there 
were,  neverthelefs,  two  obdurate,  ungrateful  cre- 
ditors, linen  drapers  of  Oxford-ftreet,  who,  regard- 
lefs  of  the  many  obligations  which  they  owed  to 
me  and  my  friends,  thought  proper  to  arreft  me, 
contrary  to  the  opinion  of  all  the  reft  who  had  any 
claims  against  me.  With  thefe  men  I  had  dealt  for 
years,  in  which  time  they  had  both  received  from 
me  feveral  hundred  pounds,  and  now  they  thought 
proper  to  have  me  confined  for  the  moderate  fum 
of  three  hundred  and  fifty  pounds :  my  own 
attorney  civilly  leaving  me  in  a  fpunging-houfe, 
to  get  out  as  I  could.  In  this  hour  of  diftrefs, 
when  friendfhip  makes  the  deepeft  imprefTion,  a 

gentleman 


(     9°    ) 

gentleman*  of  Furnival's  Inn  came  fortunately 
to  the  houfe,  and  hearing  of  my  confinement, 
generoufly  became  my  bail.  And  here  let  me 
again  pour  forth  the  tribute  of  a  grateful  heart ! 
but  words  are  inadequate  to  exprefs  the  fenfe  that 
I  have  of  bis  liberality  and  kindnefs.  Unac- 
quainted with  the  chicanery,  villainy,  and  hard- 
heartednefs  of  other  lawyers,  from  which  I  have 
fo  cruelly  fufFered,  from  certain  experience,  he 
rofe,  in  my  opinion,  above  every  man  in  his  pro- 
feffion.  He  found  mebefet  by  plunderers,  Jews, 
and  fwindlers,  combined  to  rob  me  of  what  pro- 
perty I  poflefled.  The  fuflerings  I  had  hitherto 
endured  had  not  operated  the  neceflary  conviction, 
or  hindrance,  in  choice  of  acquaintance  :  I  have 
ever  been  the  dupe  of  the  worthlefs  part  of  both 
fexes ;  and,  at  this  time,  I  was  ftupidly  infatuated 
with  the  fociety  of  a  certain  Jewefs. — 

— This  woman  poflefTed  feveral  natural  good 
qualities,   qualities  which   far  over-balanced   her 
faults  ;    and  as  it  is  impoflible  for  any  human 
production  to  be  perfect,  I   overlooked  her  im- 
perfections, 

*  Mr.  Chambers. 


(     9'     ) 

perfections,  and  adopted  her  as  my  bofom  friend. 
Mrs.  G had  a  mother  who  was  ever  in  league 

o 

with  bailiffs  and  low  attornies,  and  often  have 
both  her  daughter  and  myfelf  fuffered  from  her 
unnatural  intrigues. 

— In  the  month  of  November,  1789,  it  was 
neceffary  that  I  fliould  either  furrender  to  Mr. 
Chambers,  or  fettle  the  debts  for  which  he  was 
anfwerable.  I  therefore  confulted  this  female 
ferpent,  whom  I  had  nurfed  in  my  bofom  to 
fting  me ;  me  gave  it  as  her  advice,  that  it  would 
be  prudent  for  me  to  call  upon  the  plaintiff's 
attorney,  who,  me  was  pleafed  to  remark,  would 
be  happy  to  become  one  of  my  humble  Jlaves. 
Eager  to  exonerate  my  good  friend  Mr.  Cham- 
bers, from  any  danger,  on  my  account,  I  applied 
to  an  attorney  of  Ely-place,  and  propofed  to 
give  fecurity  for  the  debt  in  which  he  was-  con- 
cerned. This  accomplijhed  limb  of  the  /aw,  feeing 
me  in  a  fplendid  equipage,  agreed  to  accept  my 
own  terms,  and  infinuated  himfelf  fo  far  into  my 
good  opinion,  that  he  afterwards  completely 
ruined  me,  plundering  me  of  the  loft  guinea.  I 

1 2  have 


(     9*     ) 

have  fince  learned  that   Mr.  P ,  in  order  to 

enhance  his  own  cofts,  made  it  his  bufinefs  to 
difcover  the  credulous  part  of  my  creditors,  whofe 
debts  being  fmall,  were  prevailed  on  to  fue  me ; 
and  in  one  of  thefe  inftances,  I  can  atteft  that  I 
was  taken  in  execution  for  five  pounds,  and  paid 
twenty  for  it.  Fourteen  days  after  I  had  agreed 

to   employ  Mr.  P ,  he  delivered   to  me  his 

bill  of  cofts,  modeftly  making  me  his  debtor  two 
hundred  and  twenty-two  pounds.  I  had,  at  this 
time,  three  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  to  receive 
from  Mr.  Giffard,  and  as  it  was  not  immediately 
convenient  for  the  latter  gentleman  to  advance 
the  money,  I  requefted  this  virtuous  practioner, 
this  ornament  of  attorneyjhip,  to  wait  a  few  weeks 
for  payment ;  but  he  had  far  other  views  ;  he 
had  a  fcheme  in  agitation,  which  entirely  pre- 
cluded all  impertinent  clamours  of  confcience. 
He,  as  I  have  before  obferved,  was  inftructed 
with  my  circumftances,  and  while  I  was  loaded 
with  various  debts,  fome  of  which  were  enormous, 
he  took  a  lawyer-like  and  conscientious  advantage 
of  my  female  weaknefs,  feducing  me  to  make  over 
all  the  furniture  of  my  houfe  to  him — a  delufion 

that 


(     93     ) 

that  finally  led  to  my  deftruftion.  I  could  wifh  to 
fpeak  with  moderation  concerning  this  man,  but 
my  wrongs  are  fuch,  that,  waving  irony,  I  muft 
intreat  permiffion  to  fpeak  with  freedom.  The 
very  moment  I  had  executed  the  bond  which 
made  him  mafter  of  my  effects,  he  fent  one 
Rofs,  a  meriff 's  officer,  to  take  porTeffion  of  them, 
although  he  had  given  me  his  Jacred  word  OF 
HONOUR,  that  he  would  never  proceed,  unlefs  to 
protect  me  from  other  executions.  Not  fatisfied 
with  this  bafe  and  perfidious  act,  he  was  alfo  the 
perfon  who  advifed  another  creditor  to  fue  me  for 
fixty  pounds.  On  hearing  of  this  writ,  I  was 
obliged  to  take  refuge  in  the  verge  of  the  court, 
and  on  the  next  day,  when  I  fent  one  of  my  fer- 
vants  to  my  houfe  for  a  change  of  clothes,  they 
were  refufed;  the  man  in  pofleffion  fignifying, 
that  he  had  pofitive  orders  not  to  fuffer  any 
property  to  be  taken  out  of  the  houfe.  In  this 
dilemma,  I  once  more  applied  to  my  much  val- 
ued and  never-failing  friend^  Mr.  G  ******,  and 
received  from  him  two  hundred  pounds,  which  I 
paid  to  this  IMMACULATE  attorney,  requefting  he 
would  withdraw  the  execution.  He  anfwered, 

that 


(     94     ) 

that  the  fum  was  not  fufficient,  (although  he  was 
pleafed  to  take  it)  as  his  demand  was  now  in- 
creafed  to  fifty  pounds  more ;  therefore,  he  per- 
fifted  in  felling  the  effects,  and  I  have  never,  to  this 
hour,  received  any  account  from  him,  although 
it  is  pretty  well  known,  that  the  produce  of  that 
fale  brought  him  a  very  confiderable  fum  of 
money,  befides  the  two  hundred  pounds  I  had 
before  advanced  him. 

— His  next  object  was  my  coach,  but  that  he 
might  get  it  in  his  pofleffion  with  as  much  decency 
as  poffible,  he  affetted  to  fecure  to  himfelf,  by  an 
alignment  to  a  friend.  Fool  as  I  was,  after  my 
experience,  I  confented  to  his  propofal,  and  had 
he  defired  me  to  fign  my  own  death-warrant 
(fuch  was  the  ajcendancy  he  had  then  over  me,)  I 
verily  believe  that  I  mould  have  obeyed  the  pro- 
ceedings of  this  VIRTUOUS  practitioner. 

I  had  not  long  executed  the  alignment,  before 
my  coach  was  feized  in  behalf  of  his  brother-in- 
law,  a  linen-draper,  and  fold  (or  rather  given  away) 
for  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds,  although  I 

had 


(     95     ) 

had  paid  Mr.  Godfal  four  hundred  pounds  for  it, 
and  never  ufed  it  more  than  eight  months. 

— The  next  ftep  of  this  truly  honeft  attorney 
was  to  get  my  perfon  feized,  and  it  is  a  fad:  well 
known,  that  the  monfter,  under  pretence  of  taking 
me  before  the  late  Lord  Chancellor,  on  bufinefs, 
fold  me  to  bailiffs.  Thus  I  was  arrefted,  and 
dragged  to  a  fpunging-houfe,  where  I  was  locked 
up  feven  weeks  ;  during  which  time,  I  employed 
myfelf  in  endeavouring  to  arrange  my  affairs. 
It  was  repeatedly  propofed  to  me,  to  make  an 
application  to  my  friends  ;  but  unaccuftomed  to 
folicit  favours,  I  declined  the  propofal,  and  recon- 
ciled myfelf  to  the  idea  of  ending  my  days  in  a 
prifon. 

— In  this  fpunging-houfe  I  remained  until 
Eafter  term,  1790,  when  I  was  compelled  to  take 
up  my  abode  in  the  King's  Bench  :  and  now  I 
confider  it  a  tribute  of  juftice  due  from  me  not 
to  confound  the  liberal  creditor  with  the  defign- 
ing,  wicked  Shylocks  who  condemned  me  to 
prifon,  having  met  with  the  greateft  indulgence 
and  liberality  from  all  my  principal  creditors. 

They 


They  who  opprefled  me  were  the  perfons  who 
had  the  leaft  right  to  do  fo ;  and,  forry  am  I  to 
fay,  to  the  utter  difgrace  of  my  ownjex,  that  the 
two  creditors  whofe  cruelty  and  inflexible  obfti- 
nacy  obliged  me  to  continue  two  years  in  the 
King's  Bench,  were  women,  milliners ;  one  of 
whom  had  been  in  the  habit  of  cheating  me  for  a 
number  of  years.  When  I  balanced  accounts 
with  her,  I  had  receipts  for  fourteen  hundred 
pounds,  and  yet  the  confcience  of  this  honeft 
woman  (for  me  is  married)  did  not  fcruple  to 
declare,  that  me  would  never  releafe  me,  until  I 
either  paid  three  hundred  pounds,  or  gave  fecurity 
for  the  like  fum. 

— A  young  man  of  fafhion,  who  was  at  that 
time  unable  to  extricate  me  out  of  my  difficulties, 
wimed  to  awaken  the  feelings  of  this  married  lady^ 
this  paragon  of  her  fex !  and  intreated  her  to 
remember,  that  my  fituation  claimed  fome  com- 
pajfion,  for  I  was  then  pregnant  with  my  youngeft 
fon,  whom  I  mentioned  in  the  beginning  of  thefe 
Memoirs.  She  replied,  that  it  was  quite  imma- 
terial whether  I  was  brought  to  bed  in  a  prifon  or 

elfewhere. 


<     97     ) 
elfewhere.     Soaring;  above  the  feelings  of  human- 

o  o 

ity,  this  dealer  in  flimfy,  fmuggled  commodi- 
ties, perfifted  in  purfuit  of  her  dearly  loved  pelf, 
and  forced  me  to  endure  all  the  miferies  of  a  loath- 
fome  jail.  Torn  from  the  bofom  of  my  native 
country,  I  bore  my  forrows  in  filence,  unknown, 
unpitied  !  having  met  with  few  friends  difinter- 
efted  enough  to  prove  their  regard  while  I  was 
incapable  of  making  them  any  return.  Such  is 
the  inftability  of  mankind  !  While  we  can  admin- 
ifter  to  their  pleafures,  or  gratify  their  vanity, 
they  are  our  abject  (laves  ;  the  fcene  once  changed, 
then  adieu  to  friendfhip  !  Thus  fituated,  deftitute 
of  all  fupport,  except  fuch  as  the  precarious  bene- 
volence of  a  few  friends  allowed  me,  I  was  advifed 
to  fue  my  hufband  for  a  feparate  maintenance, 
who,  regardlefs  of  the  ties  of  honour  and  duty, 
was  publicly  living  with  a  woman  of  notorious 
character •,  whom  he  ftill  fuffers  to  ajjume  my  name, 
and  I  am  told  he  has  even  the  indecency  to  intro- 
duce her  into  feveral  refpedable  families,  calling 
her  his  wife.  *  But  to  clear  up  the  deception,  I 

beg 

*  Mr.  John   Coghlan   refides   in   Chefter   Place,  London,  and  the   Ifle  of 
Thanet,  County  of  Kent. 


(     98     ) 

beg  leave  to  fay,  although  it  be  a  title  I  never 
fought,  it  is  my  misfortune^?///  to  drag  thofe  hor- 
rid chains  of  matrimony  and  SLAVERY  which  never 
can  be  diflblved  but  by  his  death  or  mine. 

The  action  which  I  exhibited  againft  him, 
proving,  from  the  moft  refpectable  witnefTes,  his 
cruelties,  gained  me  the  fupport  that  my  necefli- 
ties  then  called  for,  but  not  before  I  had  endured 
every  mifery  that  hunger,  cold  and  confinement 
could  inflict. 

Sir  William  Scott,  the  Judge  of  the  Confiftory 
Court  of  London,  fentenced  my  hufband  to  allow 
me  one  hundred  and  feventy  pounds  a  year, 
during  the  time  that  our  caufe  was  depending. 
He  refufing  to  comply  with  the  decree,  was  pub- 
licly excommunicated  in  his  ewn  parifh  church, 
St.  George's,  Hanover-fquare.  Under  thefe  de- 
plorable circumftances,  the  time  now  approached 
when  I  was  to  fuffer  ten  thoufand  additional 
horrors  : — My  friends,  more  anxious  to  preferve 
my  life  than  I  was,  had  provided  a  gentleman  of 
the  faculty  to  attend  me  during  my  lying-in  : 

when 


(     99     ) 

when  I  was  taken  ill  he  was  fent  for,  who  being 
from  home  could  not  reach  the  King's  Bench 

o 

before  ten  o'clock.  At  that  hour  it  is  the  con- 
ftant  and  often  fatal  practice  to  fhut  the  gates, 
whereby  many  an  innocent  and  valuable  life  has 
been  loft.  Any  attempt  to  break  through  this 
barbarous  cuflom  would  have  been  vain.  The 
life  of  a  woman  is  not  confidered  as  worth  pre- 
fervation  at  the  expence  of  breaking  through 
the  eftablifhed  rules  of  a  jail.  Neverthelefs, 
humanity  bleeds  in  reflecting  on  thefe  abufes, 
fan&ioned  by  law,  which  are  ftill  allowed  to  exift 
without  an  effort  from  thofe  in  whom  the  power 
is  vefted  to  remove  them. 

In  this  critical  and  lamentable  ftate  I  remained 
feveral  hours,  ftruggling  with  death.  The  only 
profemonal  man  in  the  place  was  a  very  young 
furgeon,  who  at  firft  offered  his  amftance,  but 
afterwards  declined  it,  considering  my  fituation 
too  dangerous  for  him  to  be  of  any  fervice  ; 
however,  his  delicacy  was  afterwards  over-ruled, 
and,  owing  to  his  kind  interference,  I  was 
fnatched  from  death,  to  be  referved  for  a  feries 

13  of 


of  new  calamities.  Delivered  from  the  agonies 
of  child-bed,  my  infant  was  fuffered  to  remain 
naked  for  two  days  ;  for,  alas  !  the  unfortunate 
mother  had  not  clothes  even  for  herfelf! — In 
this  deplorable  ftate  we  both  continued,  till  an 
unknown  friend,  touched  with  companion,  re- 
mitted me  a  few  guineas. 

I  mould  commit  an  injury  againft  my  own 
feelings,  if  I  did  not  here  declare,  that  I  have 
every  reafon  to  believe  myfelf  indebted  for  this 
humane  act  to  Mr.  Walker,  the  late  Marfhal 
of  the  King's  Bench,  as  I  afterwards  experienced 
from  him  every  kind  attention  poffible  for  one 
fellow-creature  to  mew  another. — May  1,  on  this 
occafion,  be  permitted  to  hold  forth  myfelf  as  an 
example  to  the  giddy,  diffipated  fair  ones  of 
my  fex,  now,  perhaps,  in  full  enjoyment  of  the 
fmiles  and  adulation  of  men  ?  Beware,  then,  ye 
lovely  victims  of  their  crocodile  carefles  !  while 
the  funfhine  of  fortune  beams  around  you — 
while  the  bloom  of  beauty  lafts  and  the  charms 
of  novelty  hold  their  fway,  wafte  not  your  pre- 
cious hours  in  unprofitable  idlenefs  and  wild 

extravagance  ; 


extravagance  :  make  the  falfe  diflemblers,  while 
they  pay  homage  to  your  beauty,  provide  alfo 
for  your  intereft  :  lay  up  ftores  againft  a  rainy 
day.  I,  like  you,  when  I  thought  myfelf  be- 
loved, now  too  late  difcover  that  all  was  flattery: 
the  tempeft  came  unexpectedly  on — none  of  my 
gay  friends  approached  at  my  bidding — I  was 
left  to  bide  the  pelting  of  this  pitilefs  ftorm  in  a 
horrid  jail,  naked  and  pennilefs,  with  a  new-born 
infant  at  my  breaft,  crying  for  the  fuftenance  that 
famifhed  nature  refufed  !  and  when  my  former 
gay  companions,  on  whom  I  vainly  thought  I 
could  depend,  kept  all  aloof,  I  was  relieved,  at 
laft,  by  the  fortuitous  generofity  of  an  utter 
ftranger.  Let  me  hope,  therefore,  my  fate  will 
ferve  as  a  lefTon  to  others,  that  they  may  not 
founder  on  the  rock  on  which  I  am  wrecked. — 

Five  weeks  after 'my  lying-in,  a  meflage  came 
from  Mr.  Walker,  fignifying  that  he  wifhed  to 
fee  me  :  I  was  fhewn  to  his  houfe,  where,  after 
lamenting,  in  the  kindeft  terms,  the  hardfhips  I 
had  fuflfered,  he  declared  how  much  he  was  con- 
cerned to  fee  in  a  prifon  a  woman,  who,  he  was 

pleafed 


pleafed  to  fay,  deferred  a  better  fate ;  and,  at  the 
fame  time,  with  a  delicacy  peculiar  to  liberal 
minds,  and  incompatible,  one  mould  have 
thought,  with  his  fituation,  intreated  me  to 
accept  a  trifle  as  a  pledge  of  his  friendship, — 
giving  into  my  hand  a  piece  of  paper,  which,  on 
my  return  to  my  apartment,  I  found  to  contain 
three  guineas,  with  thefe  lines  : — "  Never,  while 
"  you  remain  here,  neglect  applying  to  me  in 
"  your  moments  of  pecuniary  want." — My  ad- 
verfe  ftars  foon  deprived  me  of  this  new  friend, 
who  was,  fhortly  afterwards,  feized  with  a  fever, 
which  carried  him  off  in  a  few  days,  leaving  be- 
hind an  amiable  character,  well  worthy  of  his 
fucceflbr's  imitation.  May  he,  like  Mr.  Walker, 
remember,  that  he  is  placed  in  a  fituation  where 
he  has  all  the  moft  important  duties  of  humanity 
to  perform,  and  in  which  a  neglect  of  them  would 
be  ftill  more  criminal  than  the  juft  and  liberal 
performance  of  them  would  be  amiable  and 
meritorious.  Neverthelefs,  I  muft  ingenioufly 
confefs,  fpeaking  of  the  King's  Bench  prifon, 
(and  I  am  told  other  prifons  are  ftill  more 
wretched)  that  the  evil  exifts  in  itfelf;  and  al- 
though 


I03 

though  a  jailor  may  certainly  correct  the  horrors 
of  the  fyftem,  yet  it  is  impoflible  for  him  effec- 
tually to  remove  it.  The  corruptions  of  a  jail, 
according  to  the  prefent  eftablifhment,  call  aloud 
for  legiflative  interference  ;  and  while  fuch  cor- 
ruptions are  acknowledged  on  all  fides,  there  can 
be  only  one  reafon  why  no  attempt  is  made  to 
deftroy  them,  and  that  is  the  immenfe  emolu- 
ments derived  therefrom  by  the  principal  and 
fubaltern  practitioners  of  the  law.  It  is  not  the 
partial  delufive  fcheme  of  oppreffion  againft  a 
few  wretched  attornies  that  can  produce  any 
material  benefit ;  it  may  ferve  as  a  temporary 
manoeuvre  to  reconcile  us  to  the  barbarous  prac- 
tice a  little  while  longer.  But  the  whole  augean 
ftable  muft  be  cleanfed.  It  is  not  thepefty  rogue 
that  conftitutes  the  great  nuifance  :  we  muft  go 
through  all  the  different  gradations  of  the  infamy 
before  we  can  hope  to  render  any  effectual  fer- 
vice  :  experience  enables  me  to  fpeak  with  deci- 
fion  on  this  fubject,  and  all  I  can  fay  is,  that  if 
every  other  department  of  government  is  in  the 
fame  corrupt  ftate,  as  that  of  which  I  am  now 

fpeaking, 


fpeaking,  we  are   in   a  deplorable  condition  in- 
deed. 

Having  imbibed  my  political  principles  at  an 
early  age,  amongft  citizens  ftruggling  for  freedom, 
and  where  now  every  individual  is  equally  privi- 
leged, and  equally  protected  by  the  law,  I  cannot 
but  inveigh  againft  partial  immunities,  and  the 
propenfity  which  the  Englim  people  betray  to 
deprive  their  fellow-creatures  of  that  liberty  of 
which  they  fo  inconfiftently  boaft.  Not  but  a 
rational  difcrimination  ought  necerTarily  to  be 
kept  up  between  fraud  and  imprudence,  villany 
and  misfortune ;  nothing  can  more  fully  demon- 
ftrate  the  negligence  and  infenfibility  of  govern- 
ment than  that  they  mould  be  confounded  indif- 
criminately  together,  that  no  diftinction  mould 
be  made  between  them  :  yet  fuch  moft  unfortu- 
nately is  the  cafe,  and  what  aggravates,  beyond 
meafure,  this  grievance,  is,  that  the  man  who 
enters  a  prifon,  honeft  and  virtuous,  feldom  fails, 
during  his  abode  therein,  to  contract  the  vileft 
habits,  and  to  be  ever  after  unfit  for  fociety. 

Thus  it  is  the  height  of  impolicy  and  cruelty 

to 


to  make  no  diftinction  between  the  unfortunate 
debtor  and  the  defigning  fraudulent  fwindler ; 
for,  although  the  juftice  of  the  legiilature  mould 
provide  a  punifhment  for  the  one,  a  certain  and 
more  lenient  degree  of  protection  than  has  hither- 
to been  adopted,  ought  furely  to  be  held  out  to 
the  other.  But  the  intereft  of  lawyers  does  not 
require  fuch  difcriminations  to  be  made,  and 
therefore  it  is  judged  right,  that  things  mould 
remain  as  they  are.  They  forever  tell  us,  they 
cannot  be  better. 

How  long  will  this  infatuation  laft  !  Oh  En- 
glimmen  !  let  it  no  more  be  faid,  that,  with  paf- 
five,  ignoble  tamenefs,  ye  fuffered  a  fervile  race 
of  mercenary,  corrupt,  vindictive  lawyers,  to  forge 
the  chains  of  hard  captivity  for  your  free-born 
limbs !  ye  have  a  constitution,  whofe  leading 
principle,  ye  are  told,  is  liberty,  facred,  im- 
mortal liberty !  ye  have  a  king,  who  is  faid 
ardently  to  defire  the  profperity  of  all  his  people. 
Cherifh,  then,  this  facred  principle  of  your  con- 
ftitution  ;  accomplim  the  defires  of  your  virtuous 
king;  rouze  from  your  torpor;  the  lion  flum- 

bereth, 


bereth,  he  is  not  dead  ;  but,  oh  !  whenever  he 
fhall  awake,  whenever  his  wrath  fhall  be  kindled, 
let  him  know  to  diftinguifh  in  his  rage  ;  let  none 
but  the  guilty  bleed  ! 

The  news  of  Mr.  Walker's  fudden  death  caufed 
me  many  poignant  reflections  ;  as  the  horrors  of 
confinement  were,  in  fome  meafure,  lefTened,  while 
I  confidered  myfelf  under  the  cuftody  of  that 
gentleman,  and  not  under  the  controul  of  a  mer- 
cenary jailor ;  for  this  lucrative  finecure  (fuch  in 
fact  it  is)  too  generally  falls  to  the  lot  (I  say  it  with- 
out meaning  to  offend  any  individual)  of  the 
moft  worthlefs  or  infignificant  characters  :  men, 
not  felected  from  any  particular  merit  that  would 
render  them  fit  for  the  office ;  not  diftinguifhed 
for  their  difintereftednefs,  charity,  or  diligent 
attention  to  the  wants  and  morals  of  the  prifoners  ; 
but  appointed  merely  as  relations,  or  dependants, 
on  my  Lord  Chief  Juftice  of  the  day,  who,  for 
the  moft  part,  (if  not  always)  takes  care  to  faddle 
them  with  a  VERY  HEAVY  RIDER. 

Soon  after  Mr.  Walker's  death,  the  arrival  in 
England  of  my  amiable  friend,  the  father  of  my 

children, 


children,  revived  my  hopes,  nor  were  they  dif- 
appointed.  He  at  once  administered  to  my 
wants,  and  cheered  my  forrows.  The  excellence 
of  Mr.  B******'s  heart,  was  my  fecurity  with 
him  againft  thofe  frivolous  and  ungenerous  ex- 
cufes,  which,  in  the  hour  of  adverfity,  it  has  been 
my  lot  to  receive  from  fo  many  others,  whom 
alfo  I  had  once  thought  my  friends  :  he  embraced 
the  earlieft  opportunity  of  vifiting  me  in  my 
confinement,  and  inftantly  took  the  children  un- 
der his  protection ;  the  youngeft  of  whom  was, 
at  that  time,  only  three  months  old.  It  is  a  very 
harm  trait  in  the  human  creature,  (neverthelefs, 
I  fear  it  is  too  faithful  a  one,)  that  calumny  is, 
generally,  the  moft  bufy  againft  thofe  who  moft 
want  comfort  and  protection. 

While  I  was  fuffering  all  the  complicated  mif- 
eries  of  a  loathfome  jail,  infinuations  to  my  dif- 
advantage  were  moft  malignantly  and  induftrioufly 
propagated,  with  the  cruel  defign  of  ruining  me  in 
the  opinion  and  affection  of  this  my  beft  friend ; 
but,  fuperior  to  all  illiberal  prejudice,  and  making 
every  allowance  for  my  folitary  and  unhappy  fitua- 

14  tion, 


tion,  he  would  not  confent  to  abandon  me,  fo  that 
thefe  cruel  efforts  of  my  enemies,  moft  of  whom  I 
have  difcovered  to  exift  in  the  circle  of  my  own 
acquaintance,  ended  in  difappointment  and  abor- 
tion; and  I  ingenioufly  confefs,  that  my  vanity 
exulted  in  the  triumph  which  I  achieved  on  this 
occafion,  and  my  heart  was  preferved  from  the 
mock  it  would  have  fuftained,  had  the  father  of 
my  children,  to  complete  the  fum  of  my  misfor- 
tunes, withdrawn  his  countenance  and  affection 
from  them  ;  but,  I  truft  in  Providence  that  I  am 
not  referved  for  this  additional  calamity  ! — Mr. 
B******'s  finances  could  by  no  means  keep  pace 
with  the  liberality  of  his  mind,  and  in  my  dif- 
treffed  circumftances  it  was  abfolutely  neceffary  to 
find  out  fome  other  fource  of  relief:  I  therefore, 
in  the  month  of  March,  1791,  (Mr.  Coghlan 
being  then  involved  in  a  law-fuit  with  his  niece, 
Lady  Blake)  by  the  advice  of  my  proctor,  (Mr. 
Walker,  of  Doctors  Commons)  petitioned  the 
Court  of  Delegates,  before  whom  the  faid  caufe 
was  to  be  heard.  A  petition  from  his  wife,  dated 
from  a  prifon,  to  which  his  brutality  had  con- 
demned her,  alarmed  his  tender  feelings ;  and 

thus, 


I09     ) 

thus,  as  I  have  already  obferved,  I  obtained  a 
prefent  fupply,  and  a  promife  of  an  adequate 
fettlement,  on  condition  that  I  would  withdraw 
the  petition.  To  this  I  confented,  and  the  re- 
fult  of  my  compliance  was,  a  mutual  agreement 
to  execute  articles  of  feparation,  which  are,  more- 
over and  nevertbelefs,  as  the  gentlemen  of  the  robe 
are  pleafed  to  term  it,  only  during  our  mutual 
pleafure ;  the  laft  claufe  of  my  deed  of  fettle- 
ment compelling  me  to  return  home  to  this  kindy 
affectionate  hujband  whenever  his  caprice  mould 
induce  him  to  require  it. 

Thus  feparated  from  him,  on  the  26th  of  De- 
cember, 1791,  I  received  fecurity  for  an  annuity 
of  an  hundred  pounds  for  my  life,  fubject  to  the 
condition  above  mentioned.  But,  alas  !  I  had  no 
fooner  obtained  it,  than  the  accomplifhed,  vir- 
tuous milliner  who  had  fo  eflentially  contributed 
to  my  diftreffes,  by  encouraging  me  in  that  ftupid 
fyftem  of  extravagance  on  which  her  prefent  for- 
tune was  raifed,  and  which  exalted  her  to  the 
enviable  rank  of  an  honeft  married  lady,  like  a 
tygrefs  darting  upon  the  wretched  victim  of  her 

favage 


favage  appetite,  feized  on  me,  infifting  that  I 
mould  give  immediate  fecurity  for  her  debt — a 
debt  contracted  for  gew-gaw  frippery  and  tinjelled, 
flimfy  trumpery.  I  had  already,  in  the  courfe  of  a 
very  fhort  time,  paid  this  harpy  fourteen  hundred 
pounds,  for  articles  of  this  like  defcription.  The 
humane  reader  will  revolt  with  abhorrence  on  find- 
ing that  this  woman,  after  fuch  emoluments 
derived  from  my  folly,  mould  proceed  againft  me 
for  another  debt  of  three  hundred  pounds,  which,  I 
am  morally  convinced,  I  did  not  owe ;  but  for 
which  me  abfolutely  compelled  me  to  afTign  over 
fifty  pounds  a  year  of  my  annuity  to  her,  for  the 
four  enfuing  years,  which  now  helps  to  fupport 
her  and  a  banker's  clerk,  whom  me  has  lately 
taken  to  her  virtuous  bed,  in  the  eafe  and  luxury 
which  they  feem  to  enjoy.  When  it  is  remem- 
bered how  many  unfortunate,  unexperienced 
women  this  extortioner  has  plundered,  not  only 
with  impunity  but  fuccefs — how  many  wretched 
female  captives  fhe  has  held  (and  I  believe  ftill 
holds)  in  jail — the  fortune  fhe  has  acquired  by 
conftant  impofitions  on  youthful  folly  and  credu- 
lity,— it  muft  excite  regret  that  there  are  no  laws 

in 


(   III   ) 

in  force  to  ftop  the  depredations  of  fimilar  mif- 
creants,  almoft  as  great  nuifances  in  fociety  as 
thofe  low  pettyfogging  attornies  with  whom,  for 
the  moft  part,  they  are  connected,  and  between 
whom  fuch  an  attractive  fympathy  exifts.  For 
my  own  part,  I  am  fo  well  acquainted  with  their 
enormous  charges,  and  the  fatal  confequences  of 
them,  that  I  would  rather  truft  for  mercy  to  the 
tendernefs  of  a  wolf,  than  to  a  civilized  barbarian 
like  the  lady  of  whom  I  am  now  fpeaking ;  and 
I  am  convinced,  from  woeful  experience,  that  the 
generaHty  of  perfons  in  trade,  with  whom  unpro- 
tected females  have  any  pecuniary  dealings,  would 
be  over-paid  in  receiving  one  third  of  their  over- 
charged, extravagant  demands. — The  reader  may 
believe  this  picture  exaggerated,  but  I  can  afTure 
him  //  is  not ;  hundreds  of  thoughtlefs  women, 
befides  myfelf,  having  fallen  within  her  fnares, 
and  from  her  may  date  their  ruin.  To  her  alone 
I  am  indebted  for  two  years  clofe  confinement  in 
a  jail,  where  wretchednefs  and  vice  of  every  de- 
fcription  rule  triumphant — where  no  remedy  is 
applied  to  the  relief  of  one,  or  the  fuppreflion 
of  the  other — where  every  comfort,  every  virtue, 

is 


is  left  to  depend  on  the  guinea  in  our  pockets, 
and  where  they  who  have  it  not  have  only  the 
cafual  charity  of  prifoners  themfelves  to  depend 
on. 

There,  even  in  that  gloomy  manfion  !  I  have 
often  beheld  vice  and  infenfibility  triumphant ; 
virtue  and  tendernefs  of  heart  dejected  and  in 
tears.  The  unfortunate  friend,  whofe  amiable 
confidence  has  involved  him  in  debts  he  was 
unable  to  pay,  I  have  here  beheld  languishing,  in 
want  of  thofe  neceflaries  which  in  happier  days  he 
himfelf  had  fo  freely  adminiftered  to  others.  The 
veteran  foldier,  all  covered  with  wounds  which  he 
had  received  in  battle  in  the  fervice  of  his  king, 
I  have  there  beheld  dying  with  hunger,  naked 
and  forfaken,  caft  on  the  common  fide,  a  prey  to 
filth  and  vermin,  too  proud  and  confcious  of  his 
own  merit  to  expofe  his  emaciated  forlorn  figure 
to  the  curious  refearches  of  his  fellow  prifoners, 
chufing  rather  to  die  than  truft  to  precarious 
bounty,  fenfible  of  his  juft  claims  on  thofe  with 
whom  pity,  alas  !  is  fo  feldom  refident.  During 
my  refidence  in  the  King's  Bench,  the  gallant 

Captain 


(     "3     ) 

Captain  Abbot,  of  the  royal  artillery,  than  whom 
no  man  in  the  army  had  ever  ferved  with  more 
diftinguifhed  merit,  died,  literally  in  that  prifon, 
through  want,  in  the  foliation  which  I  have  de- 
fcribed.  This  brave  man  had  a  wife  and  three 
children,  who  were  all  drowned  on  their  voyage 
from  America.  But  all  his  fujferings,  all  his  fer- 
vices,  were  of  no  avail !  he  was  thus  left  to  die 
without  a  (ingle  enquiry  from  the  part  of  govern- 
ment concerning  him ;  and  to  the  immortal 

honour  of  a  noble    Duke,    (M r  G 1  of 

the  ordnance)  taken  advantage  of  his  imprifon- 
ment,  he  fufpended  him  from  his  fituation,  as 
captain  in  the  royal  artillery.  Oh  !  that  I  could 
for  ever  efface  the  dreadful  fcene  from  my  memory ! 
as  it  was  my  misfortune  to  have  known  the  gen- 
tleman of  whom  I  now  fpeak  in  America,  but 
the  impreflion  is  too  deep  on  my  heart. 

Shortly  after  the  death  of  this  my  lamented 
friend,  I  obtained  my  releafe  from  the  King's 
Bench,  but  not  from  the  liberality  of  thofe  who 
confined  me  ;  on  the  contrary,  I  was  under  the 
neceflity  of  pleading  my  coverture  in  the  Court 

of 


(      "4     ) 

of  King's  Bench,  where  I  obtained  a  rule  of 
court  to  fet  afide  a  deed  which  I  had  formerly 
figned,  and  which  my  fituation  as  a  married 
woman  made  illegal.  Thus  I  was  for  a  time 
liberated  from  confinement,  and  in  the  month  of 
January  following  I  had  occafion  to  fummon  up 
all  my  fortitude.  Although  fuperftition  be  a 
failing  to  which  I  am  by  no  means  addicted,  ftill 
the  following  circumftance  may,  in  the  opinion 
of  fome,  expofe  me  to  the  fufpicion  of  being 
under  the  influence  of  that  frailty  : — In  all  my 
days  of  diflipated  pleafure  and  heart-rending 
afflictions,  never  did  an  hour  pafs  that  my  father 
did  not  prefent  himfelf  to  my  imagination.  At 
this  time  I  dreamed  I  beheld  his  funeral,  with 
my  youngeft  brother  as  his  chief  mourner,  and 
on  the  coffin  of  the  deceafed  lay  a  bleeding  heart. 
This  dream  made  fuch  an  effect  upon  my  fenfes, 
that  no  perfon  could  induce  me  to  believe  my 
father  was  not  actually  dead  ;  and  fuch  was  the 
afcendency  of  my  fears,  that  I  abfolutely  put  on 
deep  mourning  on  the  occaiion.  In  my  fable 
robes  I  one  day  met  Colonel  Small,  (an  old 
friend  of  my  father's)  who  exprefled  much  fur- 

prife 


(     "5    ) 

prife  on  feeing  me  arrayed  in  thefe  melancholy 
emblems  of  grief,  and  inquired  into  the  caufe. 
I  replied,  it  were  not  from  thefe  outward  figns 
of  forrow  he  was  to  judge,  as  what  I  fuffered  for 
the  lofs  of  a  much  loved  father  furpafled  all 
mew.  The  Colonel  anfwered,  "  Your  father  is 
<c  in  perfect  health,  as  I  am  informed  by  Colonel 
"  Kemble,  who  received  letters  from  him  early 
"  in  December." 

It  was  a  vain  attempt  of  his  friends  to  per- 
fuade  me ;  the  dream  had  made  fuch  a  deep 
impreffion  on  my  mind  that  I  perfifted  to  exprefs 
a  certain  conviction  that  he  was  dead,  and  gone 
to  receive  the  reward  of  his  many  virtues ;  and, 
alas  !  the  following  month  realized  my  fatal  ap- 
preheniions  refpecting  his  death,  as  he  had  fin- 
ifhed  his  mortal  career  on  the  icth  of  December, 
1791,  in  the  city  of  New-York,  having  burft  an 
artery  of  his  heart. 

To  leave  the  world  with  the  high  reputation 
which  he  enjoyed,  mould  ever  be  the  bright 
emulation  of  man.  He  was  univerfally  and 

1  mofl 


(     "6     ) 

moft  juftly  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him.      His 
remains  were    followed    to    the   grave  by  three 
hundred  people,   his  pall  borne  by  eight  of  the 
principal  gentlemen  of  New- York  ;  and  he  was 
interred  in  Trinity  Church,   in   the  fame  tomb 
with  his  friend  Colonel  Maitland,  uncle  to  Lord 
Lauderdale,   who,    in    dying,    made   it    the   laft 
requeft  that  his  afhes  mould  be  mixed  with  my 
father's. — How  different  the  end  of  his  near  rela- 
tion and  friend,   the  late  Colonel   Moncrieffe," 
lately  killed,  fighting  in   the  caufe  of  the  com- 
bined powers,  before  the  walls  of  Dunkirque  ! — 
His  kindnefs  to  me  was  never  interrupted.     He 
was  wont  to  fympathife  with  my  forrows,  and  to 
take  companion  on  my  follies  :    and  it  was   fo 
much  the  more  cruel  that  I  mould  lofe  him  at  a 
moment  when  friends  are  fo  very,  very   fcarce. 
Oh  !   that  I  could  have  evinced  my  gratitude  by 
attending  the   brave  dying   foldier    in    his    laft 
moments !      I    would   have   bound   his   bleeding 
wound,  and,  without  refpect  to  political  opinions, 
dropping  the  fympathetic  tear  over  his  mangled 
corpfe,   have  cheerfully  braved  the  danger  that 
put  a  period  to  his  exiftence  ! 

My 


(     "7     ) 

My  father's  death  now  drew  upon  me  once 
more  the  attention  of  my  creditors,  who  always 
coniidered  me  entitled  to  a  fortune  when  that 
event  mould  take  place.  But  fuch  was  the  hap- 
lefs  fate  of  the  furviving  children  of  this  gallant 
hero,  that  they  difcovered  the  reward  of  their 
parent's  loyalty  to  be — a  total  deprivation  of  all 
his  property  in  America ! — I  had  been  only  four 
months  releafed  from  a  long  and  dreadful  con- 
finement, inflicted  on  me  by  the  laws  of  a  free 
country,  when  I  was  again  arrefted,  and  commit- 
ted, for  the  fecond  time,  a  prifoner  to  the  King's 
Bench ;  and,  however  repugnant  to  my  own 
feelings,  I  found  myfelf  under  the  neceffity  of 
defending  the  unjuft  actions  for  which  I  was 
confined.  In  one  of  thefe  caufes  I  had  occafion 
for  more  courage  than  I  naturally  poflefTed ;  but, 
fupported  by  an  honeft,  upright  heart,  I  un- 
dauntedly repaired  to  the  Court  of  King's  Bench 
to  meet  my  opponents,  relying  upon  the  candour 
of  that  honourable  tribunal  to  afford  me  that 
juftice  which  I  claimed.  Had  my  purfuit,  like 
that  of  Diogenes,  been  feekingfor  an  honeft  man, 
I  mould  not,  perhaps,  have  explored  a  court  of 

law, 


(      "8      ) 

law,  wherein  to  find  fo  rare  an  object:  however, 
in  the  midft  of  my  embarrafTment  and  confufion, 
excited  by  the  caufe  which  brought  me  there,  and 
by  the  indecent,  impertinent  queftions  put  to 

me  by  the  plaintiff's  counfel,  Mr.  M ,  I  felt 

myfelf  much  relieved  by  the  able  defence  made 
in  my  favour  by  that  ornament  of  his  profeflion, 
Mr.  Erfkine." 

It  is  much  to  be  lamented,  that  barrifters,  in 
the  courfe  of  their  profeffional  purfuits,  mould 
confider  themfelves  warranted  in  tormenting  wit- 
nefles,  (however  refpectable  or  entitled  to  their 
compaffion)  by  the  moft  cruel  and  irrevalent 
queftions :  I  am  forry  to  obferve,  that  the  habit- 
ual practices  of  Mr.  M expofe  him,  perhaps, 

more  than  any  other  of  his  profeffion,  to  this 
cenfure.  In  faying  this,  I  am  aware  that  I  fay  a 
great  deal,  but  the  little  indulgence  mewn  to  me 
by  this  advocate,  under  the  moft  trying  circum- 
ftances,  warrants  more  than  I  have  faid;  and  it 
will  be  a  fatisfaction  to  me  if  this  mould  ever 
reach  him,  and  he  mould  profit  by  the  rebuke. 


My 


(     "9     ) 

My  brother,  Edward  Cornwallis  Moncrieffe, 
of  the  fixtieth  regiment,  now  on  half  pay,  could 
not  be  an  idle  fpectator  of  my  misfortunes. 
With  him  I  continued  in  correfpondence ;  he 
pitied  my  diftrefs,  and  generoufly  offered  to  di- 
vide his  fortune  with  me,  provided  my  creditors 
would  confent  to  fign  in  my  favour  a  letter  of 
licence  for  a  few  years.  At  the  fame  time  he 
advanced  a  fum  of  money  to  raife  my  drooping 
head,  and  to  footh  the  miferies  of  the  King's 
Bench  prifon.  That  heart  which  has  ever  made 
me  an  unfufpecting,  unhappy  victim  to  the  over- 
reaching tricks  of  lawyers,  again  expofed  me  to 
fuffer  from  them.  The  vileft  of  this  profeffion 
are  thofe  who  promife  the  f air  eft ;  and  hence  I 
again  employed  one  of  thefe  hopeful  plunderers 
of  fociety,  thofe  pettyfoggers  who  live  upon  the 
diftreffes  of  the  unfortunate,  to  defend  the  remain- 
ing actions  for  which  I  was  confined,  and  to  effect 
my  liberation  gave  him  fixty  pounds  of  the  money 
that  had  been  given  me  by  my  brother ;  but, 
:nftead  of  purfuing  my  intereft  in  the  friendly 
manner  I  had  a  right  to  expect,  the  money  was 
devoted  to  pay  a  debt  wherein  I  fuppofe  his  own 

intereft 


(       120       ) 

intereft  was  concerned.  On  this  my  brother 
again  wrote  to  me,  defiring  me  to  take  a  copy  of 
my  grandfather's  will  out  of  Doctors  Commons : 
with  his  defire  I  complied,  and  for  this  fervice  I 
was  indebted  to  my  much  efteemed  friend,  Mr. 
Walker,  the  proctor;  and  as  the  teftator,  my 
grandfather,  left  a  large  property  in  Hampmire, 
I  found  it  neceflary  to  vifit  that  place.  I  there- 
fore perfifted  in  making  every  effort  to  emanci- 
pate myfelf  from  the  King's  Bench,  and  in  con- 
fequence  obtained  what  I  defired.  Therefore, 
laft  July  I  left  town  to  pay  avifit  to  my  mother's 
relations,  who  refide  at  Portfmouth  and  in  its 
neighbourhood.  Soon  after  my  arrival  there  I 
made  it  my  bufinefs  to  make  every  enquiry  after 
my  grandfather's  property,  and  confidered  it 
neceflary  to  prefent  my  claim. 

The  gentleman  who  has  fo  honourably  poflefled 
himfelf  of  the  faid  eftates  is  my  coufin  ;  but  when 
I  inform  the  reader  that  he  is  a  lawyer^  it  will  be 
a  fufficient  apology  for  his  too  fcrupulous  delicacy 
of  confcience.  This  new-found  relation  affected 
to  receive  me  with  extreme  tendernefs,  invited 

me 


me  to  fee  the  pictures  of  all  my  anceftors,  and 
gave  me  every  encouragement  to  fue  for  my 
grandfather's  -paternal  eftate  in  Scotland,  which  he 
informed  me  had  been  feized  by  a  diftant  relation, 
under  the  fuppofition  that  all  our  grandfather's 
deeds,  &c.  were  loft  with  his  widow,  at  the 
time  me  was  drowned ;  but,  on  my  obferving 
that  I  had  a  copy  of  his  will,  proved  in  the  pre- 
rogative court,  which  abfolutely  entitles  myfelf 
and  my  brother  to  all  his  property,  wherever  we 
could  find  it,  the  honeft  lawyer  feemed  alarmed, 
particularly  as  I  aflured  him  my  brother  was 
determined  to  inftitute  a  fuit  in  chancery  for  the 
purpofe.of  eftabliming  his  claim. 

My  female  coufms  were  the  firft  to  take  alarm 
on  my  account,  and  they  even  went  fo  far  as  to 
declare  me  an  impoftor.  Thus  I  was  under  the 
neceffity  of  applying  to  Colonel  Mulcafter,  com- 
mandant engineer  at  Portfmouth,  who  was,  dur- 
ing my  father's  life-time,  one  of  his  friends,  and 
who  knew  me  from  my  childhood.  From  him  I 
obtained  a  certificate  that  I  was  the  real  daughter 
of  Major  Moncrieffe,  and  wife  to  Mr.  John 

Coghlan. 


Coghlan.  Thus  having  it  in  my  power  to  con- 
fute the  calumnies  of  my  good  cou/ins,  I  waited  on 
a  very  near  relation,  a  Captain  in  the  royal  navy, 
a  gentleman  diftinguimed  for  his  maritime  {kill, 
and  not  lefs  fo  for  his  private  virtues.  To  him 
I  confided  my  unhappy  ftory,  and  received  from 
him  the  advice  to  which  adveriity  is  entitled,  but 
which  it  rarely  receives.  Platonic  friendfhip 
men  are  apt  to  hold  in  mockery ;  and  thence  I 
was  very  foon  accufed  of  having  kindled  tenderer 
fenfations  in  the  bofom  of  my  coufin,  merely  be- 
caufe  he  was  a  young  widower,  and  had  given  me 
an  invitation  to  his  houfe,  in  which  he  offered  me 
a  fecure  retreat — an  afylum  from  every  future 
ftorm  :  and  with  this  honeft  feaman  I  hoped  to 
pafs  the  remainder  of  my  days,  blefled  with  the 
affectionate  fmiles  of  virtuous  friendfhip.  But, 
alas  !  how  tranfitory,  how  vain  have  my  purfuits 
after  tranquility  and  happinefs  been  !  I  ever 
have  grafped  at  a  fhadow — the  fubftance  I  could 
never  attain.  The  paths  of  life  are  ftrewed  with 
thorns,  and  when  we  even  gather  the  rofe,  we  are 
unconfcious  for  the  moment  of  the  briars  that 
grow  beneath  it,  and  which,  in  one  moment,  de- 

ftroy 


ftroy  the  fugitive  phantom  that  our  imagination 
had  raifed. — This  friend,  who  commanded  a  firft 
rate  man  of  war,  was  ordered  to  the  Weft-Indies. 

I  now  received  an  invitation  from  two  aunts, 
who  lived  nine  miles  from  Portfmouth.  On  my 
introduction  to  thefe  good  women,  I,  who  ever 
deteft  falfehood,  candidly  acquainted  them  with 
every  circumftance  of  my  life  ;  and  my  mournful 
tale  had  fuch  an  effect,  that  I  was  bedewed  with 
the  affectionate  tears  of  two  relations,  my  mother's 
fifters  :  They  accufed  my  hufband  as  the  author 
of  all  my  forrows,  and  were  kind  enough  to  ob- 
ferve,  that  a  woman  poffeffmg  fuch  fenfibility 
never  could,  from  choice^  purfue  the  dangerous 
paths  of  vice.  Alas  !  had  it  been  my  good  fortune 
to  have  difcovered  thefe  amiable  women  when  firft 
I  fatally  left  my  unkind  hufband's  roof,  what  mifery 
mould  I  have  avoided  !  With  them  the  beauty  I 
poffeffed  would  have  ferved  to  make  me  an  object 
of  tendernefs  and  companion,  at  the  fame  time 
that  it  would  have  fet  them  on  their  guard  againft 
the  fnares  placed  againft  me.  With  them  I  might 
have  refided  free  from  guilt,  and  my  heart,  from 

1 6  their 


(      1*4      ) 

their  inftructions  and  example,  would  have  learned 
to  pity  and  to  pardon  even  the  faults  of  bint  to 
whom  the  cuftoms  of  religion,  although  now  fo 
fafhionably  neglected,  had  united  me. 

When  I  returned  to  Portfmouth,  the  abfence 
of  my  dear  relation  made  me  refolve  to  leave 
that  place.  I  went  therefore  to  Southampton, 
intending  to  make  that  town  and  Winchefter  my 
route  to  London.  In  the  courfe  of  my  journey 
I  met  with  the  Reverend  Mr.  Radcliffe,  brother 
to  Mr.  Fazakerley :  the  former  gentleman  ever 
mared  my  efteem,  and  I  only  with  Fortune  had 
been  more  fparing  of  her  favours  to  one  brother, 
and  more  liberal  to  him  who  moft  deferved  them. 
When  I  arrived  at  Southampton,  it  was  impoffi- 
ble  to  obtain  lodgings,  the  place  was  fo  crouded. 
The  arrival  of  a  certain  wealthy  Lord,  of  Jewifh 
extraction,  had  thrown  the  town  into  a  ftate  of 
confufion ; — not  from  any  extraordinary  merit 
his  Lordfhip  pofTerTed, — not  from  any  extraor- 
dinary ftrength  of  mind  or  body,  like  his  name- 
fake  Sampfon,  the  Jew  of  antiquity  ;  but  from 
that  refpedl  which  riches  always  attract,  even  when 

virtue 


virtue  and  wifdom  fail.  Of  this  accomplijhed^ 
new-made  peer,  it  was  my  intention  to  have  given 
the  reader  a  finifhed  portrait ;  but  his  Lordfhip, 
confcious  of  his  own  excellencies,  through  a  fingu- 
lar  and  meritorious  delicacy,  has  entreated  me  to 
be  filent  on  this  fubject.  As  generofity  has  ever 
been  the  leading  feature  in  my  character,  I  will 
fpare  his  exquifite  fenfibility  the  recital  of  thofe 
fcenes  in  which  he  occafionally  plays  fuch  a  dif- 
tinguifhed  part,  and  in  which  he  is  reported  fo 
capitally  to  excel. — At  Winchefter  my  eyes  were 
attracted  by  the  number  of  poor  French  emigrants 
who  refide  in  that  city,  fix  hundred  and  thirty  of 
whom  are  daily  fed  by  public  fubfcription,  and 
lodged  in  a  palace  of  the  moft  liberal  and  charita- 
ble prince  that  ever  graced  the  throne  of  Great- 
Britain. — In  London,  the  firft  fcene  that  pre- 
fented  itfelf  was  a  prifon,  to  which  place  my  old 
acquaintances,  the  meriff's  officers,  without  cere- 
mony, conducted  me.  From  thence  I  was  almoft 
inftantly  releafed,  by  the  well-timed  bounty  of  a 
perfect  ftranger :  on  thanking  this  ftranger  for 
his  goodnefs,  and  requefting  to  know  his  name, 
he  declined  telling  me  to  whom  I  was  obliged, 

remarking, 


remarking,  that  he  felt  a  fufficient  reward  to  ref- 
cue  a  pretty  woman  from  the  confines  of  a  prifon. 
This  generous  benefactor  paid  above  forty  pounds 
for  my  liberty,  and  I  have  never  ceafed  to  lament 
that  I  ftill  am  ignorant  of  his  place  of refidence; 
that  by  a  difcovery  of  the  latter,  I  might  offer 
him  the  juft  tribute  of  a  fincerely  grateful  heart. 
The  object  of  his  goodnefs,  however,  was  not 
accomplifhed,  for  fuch  generofity  only  provokes 
frefh  attacks  from  the  watchful  creditor  and  his 
nefarious  attorney.  Arreft  after  arreft  purfues 
me,  from  a  hope  that  friends  will  not  permit  me 
to  remain  long  in  confinement.  My  whole  debts 
it  is  impoflible  for  me  to  pay,  as  they  almoft  all 
arife  from  folly  and  extravagance,  and  far  exceed 
my  means  ;  but  on  calculating  all  my  real  debts^ 
I  am  certain  four  hundred  pounds  would  dif- 
charge  them.  But  to  raife  that  fum,  where  is 
my  hope  ?  Alas  !  I  have  no  other  than  in  the 
gallantry  and  liberality  of  the  Britifh  nation — a 
nation  that  ftands  eminently  confpicuous  on  the 
rolls  of  fame  for  acts  of  charity  and  munificence  ! 
But  let  not  oftentatious  deeds,  rehearfed  with  all 
the  pomp  of  declamation  and  public  acclaim,  im- 
pede 


(     "7     ) 

pede  the  milder  but  not  lefs  meritorious  perform- 
ance of  private  benevolence  : — I  was  nurfed  in 
the  lap  of  luxury — my  mind  foftened,  and  per- 
haps in  fome  degree  debauched  by  early  enjoy- 
ments. In  thofe  hours  I  never  wanted  friends; 
it  is  only  now  that  they  keep  far  off!  But  let 
me  hope  this  faint  effort  of  a  very  imperfect  pen, 
of  one  unufed  to  literary  efTays,  may  ftill  produce 
the  means  of  foothing  thofe  forrows  by  which  her 
life  has  of  late  been  embittered.  She  fubmits 
her  fimple  narrative  to  the  public,  and  particu- 
larly to  that  circle  of  fociety  in  which  me  herfelf 
was  wont  to  figure  with  fome  degree  of  eclat. 
Let  it  not  be  faid,  that  me  who  never  fued  in 
vain  in  the  foft  hours  of  luxurious  dalliance, 
mould  now  apply  in  vain,  when  me  is  fain  to  be- 
lieve that  me  exhibits  fome  teftimony  of  her  claim 
to  their  protection. 

Other  female  candidates  for  their  favour  have 
formerly  appealed  to  their  generous  indulgence ; 
moft  of  them  alfo  were,  like  her,  unfortunate. 
It  would  ill  become  the  author  to  fay,  if  their 
pretentions  were  worfe  or  better  founded ;  as  far 

as 


as  her  own  opinion  goes,  the  wretched  are,  equally 
entitled  to  the  patronage  of  the  rich ;  the  only 
diftinction  which  ought  to  be  made  confifts  in  this 
undeniable  truth — the  more  wretched  the  indi- 
vidual, the  more  forcible  that  individual's  claims. 
On  this  ground  her  pretenfions  are  indifputable  : 
but  me  has  others,  and  me  fubmits  them,  not 
only  to  the  nation  at  large,  but  to  the  confidera- 
tion  of  that  great  perfonage,  within  whofe  reach 
me  fincerely  hopes  that  her  poor  Memoirs  may 
fall.  Let  him  reflect,  that  me  is  of  a  family  dif- 
tinguifhed  for  their  loyalty  to  his  p  erf  on  and  gov- 
ernment— feveral  of  whom  have  bled,  and  fome 
have  died  in  his  fervice.  Ah  !  let  not  the  fources 
of  royal  munificence  be  dried  up  !  let  the  daugh- 
ter of  a  man,  known  in  perfon  by  his  merit,  not 
folicit  in  vain  from  the  fountain  of  all  mercy,  or 
at  leaft  from  that  fountain  where  mercy  ought  to 
flow !  Amidft  the  fevere  examples  of  punifh- 
ment  (perhaps  of  necejfary  punifhment)  that  we 
now  behold,  let  them  not  be  unaccompanied  with 
fome  few  partial  acts  of  Heaven-born  Charily. 
The  fubject  of  thefe  Memoirs  is  in  deep  diftrefs 
— diftrefs  unknown  to  palaces,  and  may  it  never 

approach 


(     1*9     ) 

approach  them  !  But,  if  the  higheft  ranks  keep 
aloof  from  poverty,  where,  alas  !  is  it  to  feek  a 
fhelter  ?  Let  us  look  to  the  fad  reverfes  inci- 
dental to  the  human  lot  :  not  long  fince,  when 
the  lofty  turrets  of  Verfailles  feemed,  as  it  were, 
to  touch  the  ikies — when  the  gay,  thoughtlefs 
inhabitants  thereof,  perhaps  too  neglectful  of 
thofe  dreadful  fcenes  that  furrounded  their  gor- 
geous palaces,  little  dreamt  of  what  was  to  befal 
them  ! — had  they  difplayed  more  zeal,  had  they 
fhewn  more  attention  to  private  or  public  woe, 
it  is  not  unlikely  that  all  which  has  happened, 
and  all  which  is  likely  to  happen,  might  have 
been  avoided. 

In  this  country,  renowned  for  its  free  and  equal 
laws,  where  we  are  told  there  are  no  diftinctions, 
let  not  Poverty  be  fuffered  to  rear  her  ghaftly 
mien  ;  let  not  the  free-born  fpirit  fink  under  the 
depreffion  of  indigence !  It  is  fuch  dreadful 
abufes  that  damp  the  ardour  of  patriotic  loyalty, 
and  infpire  difguft  where  all  elfe  would  be  zeal 
and  gratitude. 

It  has  been  too  often  and  barbaroufly  alledged, 

that 


(     130 

that  perfons  bring  their  misfortunes  on  them- 
felves,  and  therefore  are  entitled  to  no  indulgence. 
Let  fuch  cruel,  unjuft  objections  be  fcouted  :  they 
are  the  fpurious,  miferable  objections  of  proud 
Profperity :  Humanity  rejects  them.  Are  no 
allowances  to  be  made  for  the  frailties  of  inexpe- 
rienced, unprotected  youth  ?  Are  the  perfons  who 
raife  the  objection  exempt  from  thofe  very  frail- 
ties they  impute  to  others  ?  Oh,  no  !  but  riches 
and  power  yield  a  fhelter  againft  every  enormity. 

"  Clothe  fin  with  robes, 

"  And  the  ftrong  lance  of  juftice  hurtlefs  breaks  : 

"  Clothe  it  in  rags, 

"  A  pigmies  ftraw  does  break  it ; 

"  Robes  and  fur  gowns  hide  all."  * 

Such  are  the  pitiful  pretexts  of  Avarice,  invented 
by  Opulence,  againft  the  claims  of  Poverty  ! 

If  the  throne  would  fet  an  illuftrious  example, 
and  attempt  to  deftroy  that  inequality  of  condi- 
tion which  now  prevails,  revolutions  would  be  no 
longer  heard  of,  mifery  be  banifhed  from  the 
earth,  the  temptations  to  vice  would  be  done 
away,  and  the  frivolous  definitions  of  monarchies 

and 

*  Shakefpear. 


and  republics  would  excite  no  difcuflion ;  men 
would  rejoice  under  thofe  governmtnes  where 
they  found  liberty  beft  protected. — In  England, 
the  fovereign  has  undoubtedly  many  virtues ;  no 
perfon,  perhaps,  has  fewer  vices  :  but  kings  mould 
never  neglect  the  opportunity  of  doing  good. 
Negative  praife  is  rarely  beneficial ;  but  active 
virtue  is  what  the  world,  according  to  its  prefent 
conftitution,  requires. 

Princes  are  confidered  as  Gods  ;  they  mould  at 
leaft  act  like  men.  What  is  the  firft  duty  of  man  ? 
To  relieve  the  wants  of  his  fellow  creatures,  to 
prevent  thofe  horrible  fcenes  of  diftrefs  which 
hourly  prefent  themfelves. 

In  England  we  all  look  up  to  the  throne  as 
the  focus  where  every  virtue  is  or  ought  to  be 
concentered  ;  there  we  admire  private  oeconomy, 
connubial  fidelity,  domeftic  accomplishments, 
and  honourable  punctuality  !  It  were  to  be 
lamented,  that  an  inattention  to  the  calamities  of 
the  public,  or  even  of  private  individuals,  fallen 
within  its  knowledge,  mould  obfcure  the  luftre  of 

thofe  virtues. 

17  Example 


Example  and  experience  are  two  instructive 
monitors  :  the  people  are  led  by  one,  and  princes 
mould  profit  by  the  other. 

The  vices  or  virtues  of  the  community  depend 
on  the  governments  under  which  they  live. 
"When  the  righteous  are  in  authority,  the  people 
"rejoice ;  but  when  the  wicked  are  in  power,  the 
"  people  mourn." 

How  incumbent,  therefore,  is  it  in  princes  to 
profit  from  experience,  to  inculcate  good  ex- 
amples :  in  that  cafe  we  mould  be  no  longer- 
melancholy  witnefles  to  the  horrors  that  have 
been  defcribed ;  no  longer  that  difcord  and  dif- 
fention  would  prevail  in  fociety  which  threaten 
the  very  exiftence  of  the  actual  eftablimments  ! 
we  mould  be  all  leagued  in  one  bond  of  confra- 
ternity ;  and  the  author  of  thefe  meets,  without 
having  been  condemned  to  weep  over  fo  many  of 
her  family,  fallen  in  the  wars  of  Britain,  would 
have  efcaped  thofe  terrible  ftripes  of  mifery  which 
me,  in  her  own  perfon,  has  fuffered. 

May  the  reprefentation   of  God  on  earth,  in 

thefe 


(     133     ) 

thefe  realms,  yield  to  the  voice  of  univerfal 
mercy ;  and  may  he,  amidft  the  general  impulfe, 
extend  its  rays  to  her,  than  whom  none  can  have 
more  forcible  claims  on  the  fcore  of  want,  or  on 
the  merits  of  her  worthy  and  loyal  family  ! 

'December  7,  1793. 


FINIS 


NOTES. 


(i.)  RICHARD  MONTGOMERY  was  born  at  Convoy  Houfe,  the  feat  of  his 
father,  Thomas  Montgomery,  near  Raphoe,  County  Donegal,  on  the  22d  of 
December,  1736.  Before  he  was  eighteen  years  old  he  obtained  a  commif- 
fion  in  the  Britifli  Army,  and  in  1757  commenced  his  career  of  adtive  fervice 
in  America,  and  at  the  fiege  of  Louilburg,  in  1758,  and  elfe where,  gave 
evidence  of  high  military  capacity.  Several  years  after  his  return  to  Ireland 
he  endeavored  to  fecure  his  promotion  to  a  majority ;  failing  in  this  purfuit, 
he  fold  his  commiffion,  and  in  1772  emigrated  to  America,  renewed  his  for- 
mer acquaintance  with  the  family  of  Robert  R.  Livingfton,  and  in  Auguft, 
1773,  married  his  eldeft  daughter  Janet,  the  fifter  of  Chancellor  Livingfton. 
He  never  intended  to  draw  his  fword  again,  and  wifhed  for  retirement  5  but 
when  the  Revolutionary  War  broke  out,  he  immediately  engaged  in  it,  and 
was  appointed  one  of  the  Eighth  Brigadier-Generals  to  ferve  in  the  newly- 
organized  army  of  the  United  Colonies. 

He  was  immediately  attached  to  the  larger  of  the  two  divifions  fent  to 
Canada  in  the  fummer  of  1775,  and  early  in  September  found  himfelf  in 
front  of  the  fortrefs  of  St.  Johns.  Schuyler  becoming  ill,  and  having  returned 
to  Albany,  Montgomery  alTumed  the  command  of  the  divifion,  and  by  a 
feries  of  well-directed  movements,  fuccefli  vely  acquired  pofTefiion  of  Chambly, 
St.  Johns  and  Montreal,  and  in  November  became  the  mafter  of  a  great 
part  of  Canada.  On  the  third  of  December,  at  Point  Aux  Trombles,  he 
made  a  jundlion  with  Arnold,  and  about  noon  on  the  fifth  Montgomery 
appeared  before  Quebec,  to  take  the  ftrongeft  fortified  city  in  America,  de- 
fended by  more  than  200  cannons  and  a  garrifon  of  twice  the  number  of 
befiegers.  Upon  their  arrival  before  the  town,  Montgomery  wrote  a  letter 
to  the  Governor,  magnifying  his  own  ftrength,  ftating  the  weaknefs  of  the 
garrifon,  and  demanding  an  immediate  furrender  to  avoid  the  dreadful  con- 
fequences  of  a  ftorm  5  but  Cafleton  refufed  to  hold  any  communication  with 


136 


him,  and  every  effort  at  correfpondence  with  the  citizens  failed.  He  there- 
fore commenced  a  bombardment  with  five  fmall  mortars,  which  continued 
feveral  days,  but  did  no  effential  injury  to  the  garrifon.  In  a  few  days  Mont- 
gomery opened  a  fix-gun  battery,  at  about  feven  hundred  yards  diftance  from 
the  walls,  but  his  metal  was  too  light  to  produce  any  confiderable  effect. 

In  the  meantime  the  fnow  lay  deep  upon  the  ground,  and  the  feverity  of 
the  climate  was  fuch  that  human  nature  feemed  incapable  of  withftanding 
its  force  in  the  field.  The  hardships  and  fatigues  which  the  American 
fbldiers  underwent,  both  from  the  feafon  and  the  fmallnefs  of  their 
numbers,  feemed  incredible,  and  could  only  be  endured  from  their  enthu- 
fiaftic  adherence  to  their  caufe,  and  through  the  affection  or  efteem  which 
they  bore  to  their  General.  This  conftancy  muft  however  fail,  if  the  evils 
were  increafed,  or  too  long  continued.  The  time  for  which  many  of  the 
foldiers  had  engaged  was  expiring,  and  Montgomery  felt  that  fomething  dect- 
five  must  be  immediately  done,  or  that  the  benefit  of  his  paft  fuccefies  would, 
in  a  great  degree,  be  loft  to  the  caufe  in  which  _  he  was  engaged,  and  his  own 
renown,  which  now  fhone  in  great  luftre,  be  dimmed,  if  not  obfcured.  He 
knew  the  Americans  would  confider  Quebec  as  taken  from  the  inftant  that 
they  heard  of  his  arrival  before  it,  and  therefore  determined  upon  a  defperate 
attempt  to  take  the  place  by  efcalade. 

As  the  time  for  the  afiault  drew  near,  three  captains  in  Arnold's  battalion 
created  difTenfion,  and  fliowed  a  mutinous  difaffedlion  to  the  fervice.  Mont- 
gomery addreffed  the  officers,  and  his  words  recalled  them  to  their  duty,  but 
hurried  him  into  a  refolution  to  attempt  capturing  Quebec  before  the  firft  of 
January,  when  his  legal  authority  over  the  moft  of  his  men  would  ceafe. 

A  council  of  war  was  held  on  Chriftmas,  and  agreed  to  a  night  attack  on 
the  lower  town.  While  he  was  making  the  neceflary  preparations  for  this 
purpofe,  it  is  faid  that  the  garrifon  received  intelligence  of  it  from  fome  de- 
ferters,  fb  that  every  preparation  was  made  againft  a  furprife.  Early  in  the 
morning  of  the  laft  day  of  the  year,  and  under  cover  of  a  violent  fnow  ftorm, 
he  proceeded  to  this  arduous  attempt,  and  that  the  troops  might  recognize  one 
another,  each  foldier  wore  in  his  cap  a  piece  of  white  paper,  on  which  fome 
of  them  wrote  "  Liberty  or  death." 

He  had  difpofed  of  his  little  army  in  four  divifions,  of  which  two  carried 


(     137     ) 


on  falfe  attacks  againft  the  upper  town,  whilft  himfelf  and  Arnold  conducted 
two  real  againft  oppofite  parts  of  the  lower.  By  this  means  the  alarm  was 
general,  and  might  have  difconcerted  the  moft  experienced  troops.  The 
General,  who  referved  for  his  own  party  lefs  than  three  hundred  Yorkers,  led 
them,  in  Indian  file,  from  head-quarters  at  Holland  House  to  Wolfe's  Cave, 
and  then  about  two  miles  further  along  the  ihore.  The  path  was  fo  rough 
in  feveral  places  that  they  were  obliged  to  fcramble  up  flant  rocks  covered 
with  fnow,  and  then,  with  a  precipice  to  their  right,  to  defcend  by  Hiding 
down  fifteen  or  twenty  feet. 

The  fignal  for  engaging  had  been  given  more  than  half  an  hour  too  foon ; 
the  General,  however,  preffed  on,  feized  and  parted  the  firft  barrier,  and  ac- 
companied by  a  few  of  his  braveft  officers  and  men,  marched  boldly  at  the 
head  of  their  detachment  to  attack  the  lecond. 

This  barrier  was  ftronger  than  the  firft,  and  defended  by  a  battery  of  three- 
pounders  loaded  with  grape.  Montgomery  preffed  forward  at  double  quick 
to  carry  the  battery.  As  he  appeared  on  a  little  rifing  in  the  ground,  at  a 
diftance  of  fifty  yards  or  lefs  from  the  mouths  of  the  cannon,  Barnsfare  dif- 
charged  them  with  deadly  aim. 

Montgomery,  his  aid  Macpherfon,  Cheefman,  and  ten  others,  inftantly  fell 
dead — Montgomery  from  three  wounds.  With  him  the  foul  of  the  expedi- 
tion fled.  The  command  devolved  upon  Donald  Campbell,  who  immediately 
retired  without  any  further  effort,  and  without  lofs. 

Thus  fell  Richard  Montgomery.  The  excellency  of  his  qualities  and  dif- 
pofition  had  procured  him  an  uncommon  (hare  of  private  affection,  as  his 
abilities  had  of  public  efteem  ;  and  there  was  probably  no  man  engaged  on 
the  fame  fide,  and  few  on  either,  whofe  lofs  would  have  been  fo  much  re- 
gretted in  America  and  England. 

At  the  news  of  his  death,  every  perfon  feemed  to  have  loft  his  neareft  re- 
lative or  friend.  Congrefs  proclaimed  for  him  "  their  grateful  remembrance, 
profound  refpedt,  and  high  veneration ;  and  defiring  to  tranfmit  to  future  ages 
a  truly  worthy  example  of  patriotic  conduct,  boldnefs  of  enterprife,  infuper- 
able  perfeverance,  and  contempt  of  danger  and  death,"  they  reared  a  marble 
monument  "to  the  glory  of  Richard  Montgomery."  The  moft  powerful 
fpeakers  in  the  Britilh  Parliament  difplayed  their  eloquence  in  praifing  his 


(     '38     ) 


virtues  and  lamenting  his  fate.  A  great  orator  and  veteran  fellow  foldief 
of  his  in  the  late  war,  flied  abundance  of  tears,  whilft  he  expatiated  on  their 
faft  friendship  and  participation  of  fervice  in  that  feafon  of  enterprife  and 
glory. 

In  1818  his  remains  were  difinterred  and  conveyed  to  New  York,  and  dc- 
pofited  in  St.  Paul's  Church,  near  the  monument  eredted  to  his  memory. 
His  widow  furvived  him  more  than  half  a  century. 

(a.)  JANE  McCREA  was  murdered  on  the  2yth  June,  1777,  by  a  party  of 
Indians  attached  to  Gen.  Burgoyne's  army.  She  was  fiezed  in  the  houfe  of 
a  Mrs.  McNiel,  about  80  rods  north  of  Fort  Edward.  The  Indians  placed 
her  upon  a  horle,  which  feems  to  have  been  provided  for  the  occafion,  and 
afcended  the  hill  near  the  Fort.  All  their  motions  were  intently  watched 
from  the  Fort,  and  at  this  point  the  discharge  of  fome  rifles  was  heard,  and 
Jane  was  feen  to  fall  from  her  horfe.  The  operation  of  the  tomahawk  and 
fcalping  knife  was  quickly  performed,  and  the  body  foon  dragged  forward  out 
of  fight  of  the  Fort.  This  fcene  was  enafted  about  mid-day,  and  the  next 
morning  the  body  of  Jane  was  recovered  and  buried  in  a  rude  and  hafty 
grave. 

At  the  time  of  her  death  (he  was  about  twenty-three  years  of  age,  of  mid- 
dling ftature,  finely  formed,  dark  hair,  and  uncommonly  beautiful. 

(3-)  WILLIAM  LIVINGSTON,  fifth  child  of  Philip  and  Catharine  Livingfton, 
was  born  in  Albany,  in  the  province  of  New  York,  in  November,  1723,  and 
was  entered  a  Freihman  in  Yale  College  in  1737.  In  1741  he  graduated 
at  the  head  of  his  clais,  immediately  after  which  he  left  New  Haven  for  New 
York  to  commence  the  ftudy  of  the  law. 

On  the  1 4th  October,  1748,  he  received  a  licenfe  to  practice  figned  by 
Governor  George  Clinton. 

In  1752,  with  Wm.  Smith,  Jr.,  he  published  the  firft  digeft  of  the  Colony 
Laws.  In  1754,  with  his  brother  Philip  and  his  brother-in-law  William 
Alexander,  afterwards  Lord  Stirling,  he  laid  the  foundation  of  a  City  Library, 
the  fame  that  now  bears  the  name  of  the  Society  Library  of  New  York.  In 
1759  he  was  elected  to  the  Aflembly  of  New  York,  and  in  1772  removed  to 


(     139     ) 

Elizabethtown,  in  New  Jerfey.  He  was  elefted  to  Congrefs  in  1774,  and  again 
in  1775,  was  recalled  in  June,  1776,  and  early  in  June  of  that  year  took 
command  of  the  Militia,  at  Elizabethtown,  as  Brigadier-General. 

After  the  depofition  of  William  Franklin  (fon  of  Benjamin  Franklin),  he 
was  eleded  Governor  of  New  Jerfey,  and  remained  in  office  until  the  clofe 
of  his  life. 

He  died  in  Elizabethtown,  July  25,  1790,  and  was  interred  there,  and  in 
courfe  of  the  following  winter  his  remains,  together  with  thofe  of  his  wife, 
were  removed  to  the  vault  of  his  fon  Brockholft,  in  New  York. 

(4.)  ISRAEL  PUTNAM  was  born  in  Salem,  Mafs.,  on  the  7th  of  January, 
1718,  and  grew  to  manhood  with  a  frame  inured  to  hard/hip  and  toil,  but 
with  a  mind  uncultivated,  though  vigorous.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he 
commenced  farming,  at  Pomfret,  Conn.,  where  he  "  purfued  the  even  tenor 
of  his  way,"  undiftinguifhed  by  any  noticeable  event  (except  the  encounter 
with  the  "  (he  wolf,"  which,  in  the  courfe  of  years,  has  been  fo  grofsly  ex- 
aggerated by  his  biographers,  as  to  place  it  almoft  among  the  fabulous  events 
of  hiftory),  until  1755,  when  he  engaged  in  the  French  and  Indian  War, 
as  captain  of  a  company  in  Col.  Lyman's  Regiment  of  Provincials.  During 
the  campaign  under  Gen.  Johnfon  at  Lake  George  and  vicinity,  he  performed 
various  fcouting  fervice,  with  little  fuccefs  or  credit  to  himfelf.  It  was  dur- 
ing this  campaign  that  feveral  of  the  ftirring  adventures  occurred  upon  which 
his  wonderful  reputation  for  bravery  has  been  mainly  erected — fuch  as  that 
of  his  blanket  having  been  perforated  by  fourteen  bullets,  while  he  was  giving 
"leg  bail"  to  a  party  of  Indians  who  had  furprifed  him,  etc.  But  the  one 
adventure,  which  is  beft  authenticated,  is  the  fact  of  his  having  been  captured 
(through  his  own  carelefTnefs  and  imprudence)  by  the  Indians,  who  would 
have  fucceeded  in  roafting  him  at  the  ftake,  had  it  not  been  for  the  interfer- 
ence of  a  French  officer ;  and  being  finally  taken  to  Montreal,  he  was  ex- 
changed through  the  kind  intereft  of  Col.  Peter  Schuyler,  who  was  his  fellow 
prifoner.  After  the  clofe  of  this  war,  Putnam  returned  to  Pomfret,  where 
he  exercifed  the  double  vocation  of  farmer  and  tavern-keeper.  When,  how- 
ever, "the  news  from  Lexington"  reached  Pomfret,  Lieut.-Colonel  Putnam 
(he  had  received  a  militia  commifiion  in  October,  1774)  was  ploughing;  it 

18 


is  said,  that  he  immediately  left  his  oxen  in  the  furrow,  mounted  his  horfe, 
and  rode  off  to  Cambridge,  and  with  equal  promptnefs  many  other  New  Eng- 
land farmers  sprang  to  arms  upon  that  eventful  day.  He  was  foon  made 
Colonel  of  the  Third  Regiment  of  Connecticut  foldiers,  with  the  rank  of 
Second  Brigadier  of  the  Provincial  Troops.  In  the  affair  of  Noddle's  Ifland, 
(May  ay,  1775,)  Putnam  feems  to  have  gained  more  credit  than  the  fadts  of 
hiftory  warrant,  and  through  the  influence  thus  acquired,  received  the  appoint- 
ment (in  June,  1775)  of  Major-General  in  the  Continental  Army,  much  to 
the  chagrin  of  Washington,  and  other  prominent  MaSTachuletts  and  Con- 
necticut officers.  At  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  he  was  prefent ;  but,  although 
his  biographers  have  made  this  the  culminating  point  of  their  glorification  of 
him,  the  calm,  impaflioned  fearchings  of  hiftory  fail  to  award  him  the  credit 
of  doing  anything  more,  on  that  eventful  day,  than  keeping  well  out  of  the 
way  of  harm.  He  afterwards  took  the  command  of  New  York,  until 
fuperfeded  by  Washington's  perfonal  prefence  in  that  city,  which  placed 
him  virtually  without  command.  Unfortunately,  however,  the  illnels  of 
Gen.  Greene  induced  Washington  to  allow  Putnam  to  take  his  command 
in  the  fuperintendence  of  the  defences  which  were  then  in  courfe  of  eredtion 
upon  Long  Ifland.  But  Putnam  had  neither  the  Subordination  to  obey  the 
orders  with  whofe  execution  he  was  intruded,  the  Skill  to  carry  out  the  pro- 
pofed  plans  of  defence,  or  the  ordinary  common  Senfe  which  he  might  reafon- 
ably  have  been  expected  to  difplay  in  the  face  of  an  approaching  enemy,  for 
he  neglected  his  instructions,  undid,  in  part,  what  his  able  predeceSTor  had 
done,  and  fo  careleSsly  defended  the  moft  important  avenue  of  approach,  that 
he  was  eafily  flanked,  the  whole  army  Soundly  whipped,  and  New  York  loft 
to  the  patriot  caufe.  After  the  retreat  into  Weftchefter,  he  was  ordered  to 
Philadelphia,  where,  and  at  Princeton,  he  remained  until  the  fpring  of  1777. 
Then  he  was  ordered  to  the  command  of  the  Hudfon  Highlands,  where  his 
ignorance  or  habitual  careleSfnefs  led  him — again  in  direct  violation  of  WaSh- 
ington's  orders — to  repeat  the  very  blunders  which  he  had  committed  on  Long 
Ifland,  and  which  enabled  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  by  the  capture  of  Forts  Mont- 
gomery and  Clinton,  to  Sieze  the  key-pofition  of  the  Highlands.  In  Novem- 
ber, 1777,  Col.  Hamilton  was  lent  by  Washington  with  fpecial  orders  to 
•Gen.  Putnam,  to  fend  Several  brigades  in  his  command  to  the  army  then  in 


(      141      ) 

Pennfylvania.  Gen.  Putnam,  however,  was  juft  then  too  intent  on  a  plan  of 
his  own  for  capturing  New  York,  to  obey  the  orders  of  his  chief,  and  only 
complied  on  the  receipt  of  a  fcathing  and  determined  letter  from  Waihington 
himfelf.  His  delay  in  complying  with  orders  caufed  the  fall  of  Fort  Mifflin, 
the  lofs  of  Red  Bank,  and  the  defences  on  the  Delaware,  and  the  continued 
occupation  during  the  enfuing  winter  of  Philadelphia  by  the  Britifh.  The 
official  inveftigation  by  Congrefs,  of  the  caufes  of  the  fall  of  the  forts  in  the 
Highlands,  refulted  in  the  fuperfedure  of  Putnam  by  Gen.  McDougal,  and 
he  was  afterwards  fent  to  Connecticut  to  fuperintend  the  forwarding  of  new 
levies.  During  this  term  of  fervice  occurred  another  of  the  General's  feries 
of  remarkable  efcapes,  in  which,  being  purfued  by  Britifti  troopers,  the  "  well- 
trained  and  fagacious  "  horfe  which  he  rode,  flid  down  the  hill  at  Horfe  Neck, 
(now  Greenwich,)  bearing  his  mafter  fafely  out  of  reach  of  the  foe — an  ex- 
ploit, for  which  the  horfe  has  always  got  lefs,  and  the  General  more  praife 
than  they  feverally  deferved — :and  which  has  furniflied  a  favorite  theme  for 
fchool  hiftories  and  artiftical  abortions.  The  command  at  Weft  Point  was 
the  laft  which  Putnam  held.  In  1779,  an  attack  of  paralyfis  rendered  him 
incapable  of  any  acYive  fervice,  and  the  remainder  of  his  days  were  fpent  in 
quiet  retirement,  in  Brooklyn,  Conn.,  where  he  died  May  29,  1790,  at  the 
age  of  72  years.  Putnam  was  a  well-meaning  man,  of  no  great  mental 
abilities,  yet  with  a  great  deal  of  obftinacy  and  felf-fufficiency  in  his  compofi- 
tion.  He  was  rough,  hearty  and  pleafant  in  his  intercourfe  with  his  foldiers 
and  others,  but  was  not  a  good  difciplinarian.  He  was,  in  fadl,  a  man  whom 
adventitious  circumftances,  and  a  bogus  reputation,  had  placed  into  a  pofition 
which  he  lacked  the  education  or  the  ability  to  maintain  with  honor  to  him- 
felf or  benefit  to  the  caufe.  That  this  was  the  opinion  of  Wafhington  is 
fufficiently  evident  from  the  correspondence  of  that  period,  as  well  as  from 
the  fact  that,  after  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  he  was  kept,  as  far  as  pofiible, 
in  fuch  fubordinate  commands  as  feemed  beft  fuited  to  his  very  ordinary 
abilities.  Even  there,  however,  his  blunders  refulted  in  ferious  difafters  to 
the  American  arms ;  and  happy  it  would  have  been  for  him  if  his  fellow 
citizens  of  Connecticut,  and  his  biographers,  had  not  fo  laviflily  extolled  his 
ordinary  and  homely  qualities  which  he  poflfefTed,  and  fo  magnificently  em- 
bellifhed  the  adventures  of  his  earlier  life. 


(      14*     ) 

(5.)  THOMAS  MIFFLIN  was  born  about  the  year  1744;  his  parents  were 
Quakers,  and  his  education  was  entrufted  to  the  care  of  Dr.  Smith,  with 
whom  he  was  connected  in  habits  of  cordial  intimacy  and  friend/hip  for  more 
than  forty  years. 

He  engaged  early  in  oppofition  to  the  meafures  of  the  Britifh  Parliament, 
and  was  a  member  of  the  firft  Congrefs  in  1774. 

He  took  up  arms,  and  was  among  the  firft  officers  commiflioned  in  the 
organization  of  the  Continental  Army,  being  appointed  Quartermafter-Gen- 
eral  in  Auguft  1775.  In  1777  he  was  very  ufeful  in  animating  the  militia; 
but  he  was  alfo  fufpedled  in  this  year  of  being  unfriendly  to  Wafhington,  and 
of  wifliing  to  have  fome  other  perfon  in  his  place.  In  1787  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Convention  which  framed  the  Conftitution  of  the  United  States. 
In  1778  he  fucceeded  Benjamin  Franklin  as  Prefident  of  the  Supreme 
Council  of  Pennfylvania,  and  held  that  ftation  till  October,  1790.  In  Sep- 
tember a  conftitution  for  this  State  was  formed  by  a  convention,  in  which  he 
was  prefident,  and  he  was  chofen  the  firft  Governor. 

In  1794  he  was  fucceeded  by  Mr.  McKean,  and  at  the  clofe  of  1799 
died  in  Lancafter,  Pennfylvania. 

(6.)  GENERAL  HENRY  KNOX  was  born  in  Bofton  on  the  25th  of  July, 
1750.  Before  the  American  Revolution  broke  out  he  difcovered  an  un- 
common zeal  in  the  caufe  of  liberty.  Being  placed  at  the  head  of  an  in- 
dependent company  in  Bofton  he  exhibited  in  this  ftation  a  /kill  in  difcipline 
which  prefaged  his  future  eminence.  At  the  unanimous  requeft  of  all  the 
officers  of  artillery  he  was  entrufted  with  the  command  in  that  department. 
In  1776  it  was  determined  to  increafe  the  corps  of  artillery  to  three  regi- 
ments, the  command  of  which  was  given  to  Knox,  who  was  promoted  to 
the  rank  of  Brigadier-General.  He  was  actively  engaged  during  the  whole 
conteft,  and  after  the  capture  of  Cornwallis  in  1781  he  received  the  com- 
milTion  of  Major-General,  having  diftinguilhed  himfelf  in  the  fiege  at  the 
head  of  the  artillery.  In  1785  he  became  Secretary-at-War,  and  continued 
to  fill  the  department  till  the  clofe  of  1794,  when  he  refigned  it,  the 
natural  and  powerful  claims  of  a  numerous  family  no  longer  permitting  him 
to  negledt  their  efTential  interefts.  During  the  laft  years  of  his  life  he 


(      143     ) 

redded  in  Thomafton,  in  the  State  of  Maine.  He  failed  in  1798,  and  it 
is  faid  for  a  very  large  amount,  and  that  General  Lincoln  and  Colonel 
Jackfon  were  fufferers  by  his  failure.  His  death,  which  took  place  O£t. 
25,  1806,  was  occafioned  by  his  fwallowing  the  bone  of  a  chicken.  He  was 
diftinguifhed  for  his  military  talents,  and  poffeffed,  in  an  uncommon  degree, 
the  efteem  and  confidence  of  Wafhington. 

(7.)  SIR  WILLIAM  HOWE,  brother  of  Richard,  Earl  Howe,  was  born 
Auguft  10,  1729;  he  commanded  the  light  infantry,  under  Wolfe,  in  the 
battle  on  the  Heights  of  Abraham  in  1759.  He  landed  in  Bofton  in  May, 
1775,  as  fucceflbr  to  General  Gage,  and  continued  there  until  March,  1776, 
having  affured  the  Miniftry  that  he  was  not  under  the  leaft  apprehenfion  of 
any  attack  from  the  Rebels.  The  King  expedled  that  after  wintering  in 
Bofton  he  would,  in  May,  or  an  the  firft  week  in  June,  fail  for  New  York. 

General  Washington,  however,  on  the  night  of  March  4,  1776,  took 
poffeffion  of,  and  fortified  Dorchefter  Heights,  and  on  the  morning  of  the 
5th,  the  Britifh  beheld,  with  aftonifhment  and  difmay,  the  forts  which  had 
fprung  up  in  a  night,  and  Howe  found  himfelf  furpafTed  in  military  fkill  by 
officers  whom  he  pretended  to  defpife.  A  council  of  war  was  called,  and  it 
was  determined  to  attack  the  Americans ;  2,400  men  were  detailed  and 
placed  under  command  of  Lord  Percy  to  make  the  attack.  A  violent  ftorm 
came  up  from  the  South,  two  or  three  veffels  were  driven  afhore ;  the  rain 
fell  in  torrents  on  the  6th.  The  movement  againft  the  Americans  was 
further  delayed  till  it  became  evident  that  the  attempt  muft  end  in  the  ruin 
of  the  Britifh  army.  Howe  called  a  fecond  council  of  war,  and  the  inftant 
evacuation  of  the  town  was  advifed. 

On  the  1 5th  General  Washington  gained  poffeffion  of  Nook  Hill,  and 
with  it  the  power  of  opening  the  highway  from  Roxbury  to  Bofton. 

The  Britifh  retreated  precipitately,  and  the  army,  about  8,000  in  number, 
and  more  than  1,100  refugees,  began  their  embarkation  at  four  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  in  lefs  than  fix  hours  they  were  all  aboard  120  tranfports. 

Howe  was  among  the  laft  to  leave  the  town,  and  took  pafFage  with  the 
Admiral  in  the  Chatham ;  before  ten  they  were  under  way. 

Howe    retired   to   Halifax ;  left  there   in   June,   then   took  poffefiion   of 


Staten  Ifland,  where  he  was  joined  by  Lord  Howe.  On  the  ayth  Auguft, 
1776,  he  defeated  the  Americans  on  Long  Ifland,  and  on  the  i  3th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1776,  took  poflerfion  of  the  City  of  New  York  and  was  one  of  the 
commiffioners  to  offer  peace.  In  July,  1777,  he  failed  for  the  Chefapeake, 
entered  Philadelphia  on  the  27th  of  September,  and  on  the  4th  of  Ofto- 
ber,  in  the  fame  year,  defeated  the  Americans  at  Germantown.  In  May, 
1778,  he  was  fucceeded  by  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  and  foon  afterwards  returned 
to  England.  He  died  July  12,  1814. 

(8.)  MAJOR  MONTRESSOR  was  General  Gage's  chief  engineer  in  Bofton, 
and  alfo  ferved  at  the  Siege  of  Charlefton. 

(9.)  HUGH,  EARL  PERCY  (fon  of  Hugh  Smithfon,  Earl  of  Percy  and  Duke 
of  Northumberland),  was  born  in  the  parifli  of  St.  George,  Hanover  Square, 
Auguft  14,  1742,  and  came  to  America  as  Colonel  of  the  Fifth  Regiment  of 
Foot,  arriving  at  Bofton  on  the  4th  of  July,  1774.  He  ferved  under  Sir 
William  Howe  during  the  Siege  of  Bofton  ;  bore  a  confpicuous  part  in  the 
battle  of  Long  Ifland,  Auguft  27,  1776,  and  in  the  attack  on  Fort  Washington 
in  November  of  the  fame  year. 

On  the  5th  May,  1777,  he  failed  for  England,  and  on  the  2Oth  Novem- 
ber, fame  year,  took  his  feat  in  the  Houfe  of  Lords — being  at  the  time 
a  lieutenant-general  in  the  army.  He  died  in  London  on  the  loth  of  July, 
1817,  aged  94  years. 

(9.*)  COLONEL  SMALL  was  a  diftinguiflied  British  officer,  and  his  conduct 
in  America  was  always  equally  diftinguifhed  by  acts  of  humanity  and  kind- 
nefs  to  his  enemies,  as  by  bravery  and  fidelity  to  the  caufe  he  ferved.  He  was 
prefent  at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  ;  had  been  intimately  acquainted  with 
General  Warren;  faw  him  fall,  and  flew  to  fave  him.  In  Colonel  Trumbull's 
celebrated  picture  of  the  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  Small  is  reprefented  feizing  the 
mufket  of  the  grenadier  to  prevent  the  fatal  blow,  and  fpeaking  to  his  friend. 

Garden,  in  his  "  Anecdotes  of  the  Revolutionary  War,"  fays  :  "  Paying  a 
vifit  to  our  ambatfador,  Major  Thomas  Pinckney,  ihortly  after  his  eftablifh- 
ment  in  London,  it  was  my  good  fortune  to  meet  with  Colonel  Small,  who, 


(      145     ) 

in  courfe  of  converfation,  said,  '  I  have  been  fitting  this  morning  to  Colonel 
Trumbull  for  my  portrait,  he  having  done  me  the  honor  to  place  me  in 
a  very  confpicuous  fituation  in  his  admirable  reprefentation  of  the  Battle  of 
Bunker's  Hill.  But  his  politenefs  far  exceeds  my  claim  to  merit.  He  has 
exhibited  me  as  turning  afide  the  bayonet  aimed  by  a  grenadier  at  the  bread 
of  General  Warren.  I  would  certainly  have  laved  his  life  had  it  been  in  my 
power  to  do  fo,  but  when  I  reached  the  fpot  on  which  his  body  lay  the  fpark 
pf  life  was  already  extingui/hed.  It  would  have  been  a  tribute  due  to  his 
virtues  and  to  his  gallantry,  and  to  me  a  facred  duty,  fince  I  am  well 
apprized  that,  when  at  a  particular  period  of  the  action  I  was  left  alone,  and 
expofed  to  the  fire  of  the  whole  American  line,  my  old  friend  Putnam  faved 
my  life  by  calling  aloud,  '  Kill  as  many  as  you  can,  but  fpare  Small ;'  and 
that  he  actually  turned  afide  muflcets  that  were  aimed  for  my  deftrudlion.'  " 

(10.)  CHARLES,  EARL  CORNWALLIS. — The  family  of  Cornwallys  or  Corn- 
waleys,  (for  the  name  appears  to  have  been  fpelt  either  way,)  was  of  lome 
importance  in  Ireland  in  early  times,  and  in  1561  Irifti  deeds  of  the  family 
were  in  exiftence  in  the  county  of  Surlolk,  dated  in  the  reign  of  Edward  III. 
A  younger  fon,  Thomas,  was  Iheriffof  the  City  of  London  in  1378. 

Charles,  fifth  Lord,  was  Chief  Juftice  in  Eyre,  fouth  of  Trent,  and  after- 
wards Conftable  of  the  Tower.  He  married  in  1722  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
Charles,  fecond  Vifcount  Townlhend,  brother-in-law  of  Sir  Robert  Walpole. 
He  was  made  Earl  Cornwallis  and  Vifcount  Brome,  June  30,  1753;  and  died 
June  23,  1762,  having  had  four  fons  and  five  daughters,  of  whom  three  fons 
and  three  daughters  furvived  him. 

His  fixth  child,  but  eldeft  fon,  Vifcount  Brome  (afterwards  Lord  Cornwal- 
lis), and  the  fubjedl  of  this  note,  was  born  in  Grofvenor  Square,  December  31, 
1738.  Lord  Brome  went  at  an  early  age  to  Eton.  The  exact  year  has  not 
been  afcertained,  but  in  an  old  Eton  fchool  lift,  of  Augufl  26,  1754,  his  name 
ftands  fourth  among  the  fixth  form  Oppidans. 

During  his  Eton  career,  he  received,  while  playing  at  hockey,  a  blow  on 
the  eye,  which  produced  a  flight,  but  permanent,  obliquity  of  vifion.  The 
boy  who  accidentally  caufed  this  injury  was  Shute  Barrington,  afterwards  the 
highly  efteemed  Biihop  of  Durham. 


Before  he  attained  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  Lord  Brome  had  chofen  the 
army  as  his  profeflion — in  1758  he  became  aid-de-camp  to  Lord  Granby,  in 
1759  captain  in  85th  foot,  and  in  1775  major-general. 

He  was  oppo/ed  to  the  fcheme  of  taxing  the  American  Colonies,  and  uni- 
formly voted  againft  it,  notwithftanding  the  offices  he  held.  He  was  alfo 
prefent  on  almoft  every  other  queftion  connected  with  America,  luch  as  the 
MafTachufetts  bill,  the  Bofton  Port  bill,  &c. ;  againft  thefe  he  probably  divided, 
but  as  no  lifts  have  been  preferved,  individual  votes  cannot  be  pofitively  afcer- 
tained. 

When  the  war  with  America  broke  out,  Lord  Cornwallis  was  ordered  to 
America,  to  take  command  of  one  divifion  of  the  Britifti  Army,  and  notwith- 
ftanding his  opinion  of  the  injuftice  of  that  war,  he  confidered  that  as  a  mili- 
tary man,  he  could  not  decline  any  employment  offered  to  him.  He  embarked 
Feb.  10,  1776,  for  America,  with  the  local  rank  of  major-general. 

His  wife,  who  is  faid  to  have  been  a  beautiful  woman,  was  ftrongly  adverfe 
to  his  going  on  active  fervice,  and  obtained  leave  from  the  king  for  him  to 
relinquifh  his  appointment — he  peremptorily  refufed  to  avail  himfelf  of  the 
permifllon.  He  returned  to  England  in  January,  1778,  but  failed  again  from 
St.  Helens,  in  the  Trident,  on  the  lift  of  April  following.  Lady  Cornwallis 
became  very  dangeroufly  fick,  and  Lord  Cornwallis  threw  up  his  command  and 
again  returned  to  England.  Lady  Cornwallis  died  Feb.  14,  1779,  and  Lord 
Cornwallis  again  offered  his  lervices,  which  being  accepted,  he  returned  to 
America.  Lord  Cornwallis  ferved  actively  and  with  diftinction  under  Generals 
Howe  and  Clinton,  in  the  campaign  of  1776-9,  in  New  York  and  the 
Southern  States,  and  in  1780  was  left  in  command  of  South  Carolina.  In 
the  Spring  of  1781  he  invaded  Virginia,  where  he  obtained  no  decided  fuc- 
cefs.  Having  received  orders  from  Sir  Henry  Clinton  to  embark  part  of  his 
force  for  New  York,  he  moved  to  Portfmouth,  but  there  received  frefh  inftruc- 
tions,  under  which  he  was  ordered  to  Williamiburgh,  and  directed  to  make 
Point  Comfort  his  place  of  arms.  Finding  Point  Comfort  ill-fuited  for  his 
purpofe,  he  removed  to  Yorktown,  and  there  intrenched  himfelf.  He  was 
there  befieged  by  the  French  and  American  forces,  aflifted  by  the  French  fleet 
under  De  GrafTe,  and  finally,  after  an  obftinate  defence,  was,  on  the  I9th  of 
October,  1781,  forced  to  furrender  himfelf  and  his  troops  as  prifoners  of  war. 


H7 


His  capture  was  a  death-blow  to  the  Britifh  caufe.  Cornwallis  efcaped  cen- 
fure,  owing  perhaps  to  his  favor  with  the  King. 

In  1786,  he  was  made  Governor  and  Commander-in-Chief  of  Bengal, 
returned  to  England  in  1793,  was  received  with  diftinguiflied  honors,  and 
in  1798  was  made  Lord-Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  which  poft  he  held  until  1801. 

Towards  the  clofe  of  that  year  he  was  fent  as  ambaflador  to  France,  where 
he  negotiated  the  Peace  of  Amiens. 

In  1805  he  was  again  appointed  Governor-General  of  India,  and  though 
advancing  age  and  impaired  health  might  well  have  excufed  him,  he  would 
not  refufe  the  appointment,  but  embarked  early  in  the  year.  Very  Ihortly 
after  his  arrival  in  India,  he  fet  out  for  the  Upper  Provinces,  where  his  pref- 
ence  was  greatly  needed,  but  he  was  unable  to  proceed  further  than  Ghazipoor, 
where  he  died  Oct.  5,  1805,  in  the  67th  year  of  his  age.  During  many 
years  of  active  fervice  in  the  field,  he  was  ftruck  but  once,  and  he  would  not 
then  allow  his  name  to  appear  in  the  lift  of  wounded.  His  character  as  a 
foldier  and  ftatefman  was  highly  refpectable,  but  he  was  more  diftinguifhed 
by  diligence,  humanity  and  integrity  than  by  the  higher  mental  powers. 

(n.)  The  Battle  of  Brooklyn,  fought  on  the  27th  of  Auguft,  1776, 
forms  an  important  landmark  in  the  hiftory  of  our  Revolutionary  ftrug- 
gle.  After  the  evacuation  of  Bofton  by  the  Britifh,  in  March  1776,  Gen. 
Washington  took  immediate  meafures  to  anticipate  what  he  fhrewdly  fuf- 
pected  would  be  their  next  attempt,  viz.,  the  occupation  of  the  City  of 
New  York.  Gen.  Lee  was  therefore  fent  to  that  city  with  a  large  number  of 
Connecticut  troops  —  fortifications  were  fpeedily  in  progrefs,  the  paflages  to  the 
city  by  North  and  Eaft  Rivers  were  properly  defended  by  entrenchments,  chains, 
funken  veffels,  &c.,  while  acrofs  the  weftern  end  of  Long  Ifland  was  thrown 
a  ftrong  line  of  entrenched  works,  extending  from  the  Wallabout  to  Gowanus 
Creek.  In  addition  to  thefe  defences,  Gen.  Greene,  who,  with  the  affiftance 
of  Gen.  Sullivan  had  fuperintended  the  erection  of  thefe  works,  had  faith- 
fully guarded  the  paffes  which  led  to  Brooklyn  through  the  furrounding  hills, 
while  near  the  Bedford,  Flatbuih  and  Yellow  Hook  defiles,  breaftworks  had 
been  thrown  up,  and  mounted  patrols  eftablifhed  upon  the  roads.  Unfortu- 
nately, at  the  critical  moment  Gen.  Greene  was  taken  fick,  and  Gen.  Putnam 

J9 


was  fent  over  to  take  command,  and  one  of  his  firft  adts — in  violation  of  the 
exprefs  orders  of  Wafhington — was  to  withdraw  the  mounted  patrols.  On 
the  22d  of  Auguft,  the  Britirti'army  crofled  over  from  Staten  Ifland,  and  land- 
ing in  Gravefend  Bay,  fpread  its  line  along  the  eaftern  bafe  of  the  hills  to 
Flatbufli,  in  which  fituation  it  remained  for  feveral  days,  content  with  fimply 
occupying  the  attention  of  the  Americans,  and  indulging  in  occafional  deful- 
tory  (kirmiihes  with  their  patrols.  But,  on  the  26th,  one  column,  under 
Lieut.-Gen.  De  Heifter,  moved  to  Flatbuih,  and  the  fame  evening  Gen.  Corn- 
wallis  advanced  his  divifion  to  Flatlands,  while  at  a  ftill  later  hour  Sir  Henry 
Clinton,  with  the  right  of  the  army,  in  conjunction  with  Cornwallis'  divifion, 
moved  towards  the  Bedford  pals,  to  turn  the  left  of  the  American  lines  on  the 
heights  between  Bedford  and  Flatbufh.  While  this  flank  movement  was 
being  executed,  Gen.  Grant,  in  command  of  the  Britifh  left  wing,  moved  up 
the  weftern  road  from  the  Narrows  to  Brooklyn;  and  about  midnight,  falling 
in  with  the  American  pickets,  was  foon  (by  Putnam's  order)  confronted  by 
Lord  Stirling  with  1,500  men,  whom  he  continued  to  prefs  flowly  back — 
merely,  however,  as  a  feint  to  diftradl  attention  from  Clinton's  movement  on 
the  American  left.  About  2  A.  M.  of  the  2yth,  Clinton  having  approached 
the  Bedford  pafs,  and  finding,  to  his  furprife,  that  it  was  unoccupied,  promptly 
feized  it — and  having  thus  gained  the  pofition  of  the  impending  conteft  without 
a  ftruggle,  coolly  fat  down  to  reft  and  feed  his  troops.  De  Heifter,  who  had 
been  left  at  Flatbufh,  commenced  about  day-break  to  blind  the  American 
commander  by  a  brifk  cannonade — until  hearing  the  concerted  fignal-guns  of 
Clinton,  announcing  that  the  Bedford  pafs  was  fecured — he  immediately 
prefled  his  divifion  forward  upon  Sullivan's  lines,  and  after  a  defperate  and 
fanguinary  ftruggle,  captured  him  and  routed  his  command.  Clinton  mean- 
while, after  breakfaft,  moved  forward  to  Bedford,  and  then  detaching  Corn- 
wallis to  co-operate  with  Grant  in  his  movements  on  the  Bay  road,  himfelf 
puihed  on  towards  the  Flatbufli  road  where  Sullivan  and  De  Heifter  were 
contending.  Meanwhile  Stirling — ftubbornly  refifting  the  advance  of  Grant 
— found  himfelf  fuddenly  attacked  in  rear  by  Cornwallis,  and  at  the  fame 
moment  vigoroufly  puihed  by  Grant  in  front.  He  made  good  fight,  how- 
ever, and  fo  well  that  Cornwallis  was  about  to  retire,  when  De  Heifter,  frefli 
from  Sullivan's  defeat,  came  to  the  refcue,  and  to  him  Stirling  was  obliged  to 


(     H9     ) 

furrender.  This  battle,  or  rather  this  feries  of  flcirmiflies,  was  thus  concluded 
in  favor  of  the  Britifli  arms ;  and  the  victorious  army  encamped  in  front  of 
the  American  works  in  the  evening,  preparatory  to  attacking  them  by 
regular  approaches,  and  with  the  aid  of  the  fleet.  The  American  army 
engaged  in  this  battle  numbered  about  5,000,  while  that  of  the  Britifh  was 
at  leaft  three  times  larger.  The  Britifli  lofs  was  comparatively  trifling,  and 
that  of  the  Americans,  in  killed,  wounded  and  prifoners,  is  eftimated  at 
from  1,100  to  i, zoo;  moftly,  however,  in  prifoners.  The  refult  is  attrib- 
utable mainly  to  the  great  extent  of  the  American  lines,  to  the  garrifoning 
of  which  the  force  of  the  American  army  was  manifeftly  infufficient ;  but 
moft  of  all  to  the  fatal  ftupidity  and  want  of  ordinary  military  /kill  evinced  by 
Gen.  Putnam  in  the  guarding  and  protection  of  the  feveral  pafles  of  approach 
to  Brooklyn. 

(12.)  The  Hefllans  were  German  foldiers,  hired  by  Great  Britain  in  the 
early  part  of  the  year  1776,  of  their  mafters,  the  petty  German  princes,  at  fo 
much  per  man.  The  Landgrave  of  Hefle-CafTel  furniflied  12,104;  the  Duke 
of  Brunfwick,  4,084 ;  the  Prince  of  Hefle,  668  ;  and  the  Prince  of  Waldeck, 
670;  being  a  total  of  17,526  men,  including  officers.  These  princes  received 
thirty-fix  dollars  apiece  for  their  men,  to  which  was  added  a  confiderable  fub- 
fidy — coding  Great  Britain  in  all  the  handfome  fum  of  $775,000.  The 
greater  portion  of  thefe  mercenaries,  as  will  be  feen,  were  furnifhed  from 
Hefle,  from  which  was  derived  the  name  of  Heffian,  applied  indifcriminately 
to  all  the  German  auxiliaries  employed  by  Great  Britain  during  the  Revolu- 
tionary War.  They  arrived  in  America  juft  before  the  Battle  of  Long  Ifland, 
and  were  received  with  open  arms  by  the  Britifli  troops,  men  and  officers  vie- 
ing  with  each  other  in  their  attentions  to  their  new  allies.  In  the  Battle  of 
Long  Ifland  they  took  a  moft  important  part,  and  after  that  ftruggle,  during 
the  feven  years'  Britifli  occupation  of  Long  Ifland,  the  permanent  garrifons  at 
Brooklyn  and  other  Kings  County  towns  were  compofed  of  thefe  Hefllans. 
Many  of  them  were  captured  at  Trenton,  in  1776,  and  their  officers  paroled. 
A  large  body  of  the  Hefllans  was  captured  with  Gen.  Burgoyne's  army  at 
Saratoga,  marched  as  prifoners  of  war  to  Cambridge,  where  they  were  treated 
with  kindnefs  by  the  inhabitants,  and  were  finally  quartered  in  the  quiet  town 


150 


of  Eafl  now  South  Windfor,  fix  miles  above  Hartford,  on  the  Connecticut 
River,  at  which  place  they  remained  for  a  long  time.  Some  of  the  Hefiians 
were  alfo  engaged  at  the  battles  of  Bennington,  and  the  attacks  on  Forts 
Mercer  and  Mifflin  in  1777,  and  the  affair  at  Guilford  in  1781. 

The  Heffian  uniform,  as  defcribed  by  Dunlap,  was  as  follows  :  "A  tower- 
ing brass-fronted  cap  ;  mouftaches  colored  with  the  fame  material  that  colored 
his  ihoes,  his  hair  plaftered  with  tallow  and  flour,  and  tightly  drawn  into  a 
long  appendage  reaching  from  the  back  of  the  head  to  his  waift  ;  his  blue 
uniform  almoft  covered  by  the  broad  belts  fuftaining  his  cartouch  box,  his 
brafs-hilted  fword,  and  bayonet  ;  a  yellow  waiftcoat  with  flaps,  and  yellow 
breeches  were  met  at  the  knee  by  black  gaiters  ;  and  thus  heavily  equipped, 
he  flood  an  automaton,  and  received  the  command  or  cane  of  the  officer  who 
infpe&ed  him." 

Thefe  men  came  here  to  fight  againft  our  fathers  under  the  influence  of 
that  kind  of  unquestioning  loyalty  to  their  chiefs  which  led  them  to  make 
their  prince's  foreign  quarrel  their  own  domeftic  concern,  and  his  flirewd  policy 
their  own  plain  intereft.  It  is  true  that  our  anceftors  —  and  their  defcendants, 
have,  with  an  excufable  warmth  of  feeling,  attributed  the  meaneft  mercenary 
motives  and  the  moft  favage  cruelty  to  thefe  foreign  auxiliaries  of  their  Britilh 
foe.  Yet  the  "blinde  Hefs,"  even  now  not  famed  for  infight,  as  this  his 
(landing  title  fhows,  muft  then  have  thought  it  the  height  of  fentimental  ab- 
furdity  that  his  fidelity  to  the  fovereign  who,  in  profound  king-craft,  had  by 
folemn  treaty  fold  him  to  Great  Britain,  fhould  be  imputed  to  him  as  the 
bafenefs  of  a  hireling.  With  no  innate  perceptions  of  the  advantages  of  felf- 
government  and  democratic  principles,  it  cannot  be  a  matter  of  furprife  to  us 
that  he  felt  no  fympathy  with  a  people  who  were  already  enjoying  more  free- 
dom than  he  had  ever  feen  enjoyed  by  any  people  or  nation  in  Europe,  and 
who  were  Struggling  for  (till  greater  privileges,  of  which  he  could  not  under- 
ftand  the  neceflity.  Much  of  the  harflmefs  of  his  conduct  muft  be  viewed 
from  this  ftandpoint  of  previous  training  and  circumfbances,  and  from  the  dif- 
ference of  language,  education,  &c.,  naturally  existing  between  a  European 
and  an  American  foldier. 

(13.)  JOHN  COGHLAN  was  the  fon  of  a  London  merchant  of  great  wealth, 


and  in  youth  his  profpefts  were  without  a  fingle  cloud.  He  entered  the  Navy 
and  failed  round  the  world  with  the  celebrated  Captain  Cook.  Difliking  the 
Tea,  his  thoughts  turned  fucceflively  to  the  Bar  and  Church,  but  finally  he 
procured  a  commiflion  in  the  Army.  He  ferved  feveral  campaigns  in  Amer- 
ica, and  on  the  28th  of  February,  1777,  was  married  to  Mifs  Margaret  Mon- 
crieffe  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  Auchmuty,  Redor  of  Trinity  Church.  This 
connexion,  as  he  averred,  proved  as  miferable  to  him  as  it  did  to  her.  After 
the  peace  of  1783,  he  ferved  in  the  Ruffian  Army,  but  domeftic  difappoint- 
ment  preyed  upon  his  mind,  and  he  became  difiipated. 

He  returned  to  England,  and  his  extravagance  involved  him  in  ruin. 

Finally,  utterly  wretched  and  an  outcaft,  he  became  an  inmate  of  St.  Bar- 
tholomew's Hofpital,  where  he  died  in  1807,  in  his  fifty-fourth  year,  and  in 
the  moft  abjedl  and  pitiable  condition. 

His  relatives  in  England  and  Wales  were  very  refpetfable,  and  his  body- 
was  retained  in  the  dead-house  eight  days,  in  the  hope  that  he  would  be  claimed 
and  decently  interred.  The  charity  of  a  ftranger  furnifhed  a  covering  for  his 
remains,  and  they  were  depofited  in  the  burial-ground  of  the  hofpital. 

It  is  faid  that  Captain  Coghlan  was  among  the  handfomeft  men  of  his  time, 
that  he  was  focial  and  convivial,  and  in  his  charities,  when  in  pofleflion  of 
money,  liberal  to  a  fault. 

(14.)  SIR  WILLIAM  TRYON  was  appointed  Governor  of  the  Colony  of  New 
York  in  1771.  The  Province  Houfe  which  he  occupied  was  burned  by  the 
careleflhefs  of  fervants,  and  his  wife  and  daughter  narrowly  efcaped  death. 
The  Colony  voted  him  five  thoufand  pounds,  and  the  Britiih  Government 
added  a  liberal  fum  for  his  lofTes.  The  fpirit  of  the  man  while  at  the  head 
of  affairs  in  New  York,  may  be  fully  illuftrated  by  a  fingle  circumstance  :  "  I 
mould,"  faid  he  in  1777,  "were  I  in  authority,  burn  down  every  Committee- 
man's  houfe  within  my  reach,  as  I  deem  thofe  agents  the  wicked  inftruments 
of  the  continued  calamities  of  this  country  5  and  in  order  fooner  to  purge  the 
country  of  them  I  am  willing  to  give  twenty-five  dollars  for  every  adting  Com- 
mittee-man who  mail  be  delivered  up  to  the  King's  troops."  His  property, 
both  in  North  Carolina  and  New  York,  was  confifcated.  In  1780,  he  was 
fucceeded  by  General  Robertfon,  a  general  in  the  Army,  who  was  the  laft 


(   is*   ) 

Royal  Governor  of  New  York.     Tryon  died  in  London  in   1788,  with  the 
rank  of  Lieutenant-General. 

(15.)  SAMUEL  AUCHMUTY,  D.  D.,  was  the  fon  of  Robert  Auchmuty,  an 
eminent  lawyer  and  Judge  of  Admiralty  in  MafTachufetts.  He  graduated  at 
Harvard  Univerfity  in  1742,  and  received  his  Doftorate  of  Divinity  from  Ox- 
ford. In  1754  he  was  employed  by  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gofpel  in  Foreign  Parts  as  catechift  to  the  negroes  in  New  York.  On  the 
28th  of  Auguft,  1764,  he  fucceeded  the  Rev.  Dr.  Henry  Barclay  as  Reftor 
of  Trinity  Church.  Upon  the  departure  of  General  Howe  from  Bofton  to 
Halifax,  and  the  taking  pofleflion  of  New  York  by  the  Revolutionary  Army, 
moft  of  the  inhabitants  removed  into  the  country.  Dr.  Auchmuty  being  much 
indifpofed  through  the  fpring  and  fummer,  retired  with  his  family  to  Bruns- 
wick in  New  Jersey.  During  his  abfence,  Trinity  Church  and  the  Redlor's 
houfe,  with  nearly  one  thoufand  other  buildings,  were  deftroyed  by  fire,  and 
Dr.  Auchmuty 's  lofs  amounted  to  over  £2,500  fterling.  He  died  in  1777, 
having  been  in  the  miniftry  over  thirty  years.  His  fermons  before  the  break- 
ing out  of  the  war  were  ftrongly  denunciatory  of  the  Sons  of  Liberty,  as  the 
aflbciated  patriots  were  called,  the  moft  prominent  of  whom  in  New  York 
was  Ifaac  Sears  (commonly  known  as  King  Sears),  who  was  a  member  of  his 
Church,  and  at  the  clofe  of  the  war  a  veftryman. 

In  April,  1775,  Doctor  Auchmuty  wrote  from  New  York  to  Captain  Mon- 
treflbr :  "We  have  lately  been  plagued  with  a  rafcally  Whig  mob  here,  but 
they  have  effected  nothing,  only  Sears  the  King  was  refcued  at  the  jail  door. 
Our  magiftrates  have  not  the  fpirit  of  a  loufe." 

(16.)  THOMAS  GAGE  was  the  firft  military  and  the  laft  Royal  Governor  of 
MafTachufetts.  In  1770  he  was  a  Lieutenant-General,  and  refided  in  New 
York,  in  a  large  houfe  furrounded  with  elegant  gardens  on  the  fite  now  occu- 
pied by  the  ftores  fixty-feven  and  fixty-nine  Broad  street.  In  1774  he  re- 
moved to  Bofton,  and  arrived  there  on  the  I  jth  of  May,  not  many  days  after 
the  intelligence  was  received  of  the  a&  fhutting  up  its  harbor,  and  whilft  the 
inhabitants  airembled  at  a  town  meeting  were  yet  deliberating  on  the  melan- 
choly profpedl  before  them.  Notwithstanding  the  deep  and  folemn  gloom  of 


the  moment,  he  was  received  with  the  external  marks  of  decent  refpeft  which 
had  been  ufual  and  which  were  fuppofed  to  belong  to  his  ftation.  Soon  after 
Gage's  arrival,  two  regiments  of  foot,  with  a  fmall  detachment  of  artillery  and 
fome  cannon,  were  landed  at  Bofton,  and  encamped  on  the  Common;  and 
they  had  been  gradually  reinforced  by  feveral  regiments  from  Ireland,  New 
York,  Halifax  and  Quebec.  The  arrival  and  ftation  of  thefe  troops  excited 
the  jealoufy  of  the  inhabitants  of  Bofton  and  of  the  circumjacent  counties. 
Their  jealoufy  was  increafed  by  the  ftationing  of  a  Britifh  guard  on  Bofton 
Neck,  and  perfeverance  in  repairing  and  manning  the  fortifications  at  the  en- 
trance of  the  town.  On  the  first  of  September,  Gage  fent  two  companies 
and  took  poffeflion  of  the  powder  in  the  arfenal  at  Charleftown.  What  was 
lodged  in  the  magazine  in  Bofton  was  alfo  withholden  from  the  legal  proprie- 
tors. Detachments  were  alfo  fent  out  to  take  pofleflion  of  the  ftures  in  Salem 
and  Concord ;  and  the  battle  of  Lexington  became  the  fignal  of  war.  In 
May  1775,  the  Provincial  Congrefs  declared  "that  Gen.  Gage  has,  by  the 
late  tranfadlions  and  many  other  means,  utterly  difqualified  himfelf  from  ferv- 
ing  this  Colony  as  a  Governor,  or  in  any  other  capacity,  and  that  therefore  no 
obedience  is  in  future  due  to  him ;  but  that,  on  the  contrary,  he  ought  to  be 
confidered  and  guarded  againft  as  an  unnatural  and  inveterate  enemy  to  the 
country."  From  this  time  the  exercife  of  his  functions  was  confined  to  Bofton. 
In  June  he  iffued  a  proclamation  offering  pardon  to  all  the  rebels  excepting 
Samuel  Adams  and  John  Hancock,  and  ordered  the  ufe  of  the  martial  law. 
But  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  a  few  days  afterwards  proved  to  him  that  he 
had  miftaken  the  character  of  the  Americans. 

In  Odlober  he  embarked  for  England,  was  fucceeded  in  the  command  by 
Sir  William  Howe,  and  died  in  April  1787. 

(17.)  MRS.  GAGE,  the  wife  of  Thomas  Gage  above  mentioned,  was  the 
daughter  of  Peter  Kemble,  Prefident  of  the  Council  of  New  Jerfey.  She  died 
in  England  in  1824,  in  the  9ift  year  of  her  age. 

(18.)  MAJOR  MONCRIEFFE,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Coghlan,  was  the  uncle  of 
General  Richard  Montgomery,  and  the  brother-in-law  of  Mr.  Jay  and  Gover- 
nor Livingfton,  and  when  the  American  Revolution  broke  out,  it  was  fuppofed 
that  he  would  efpoufe  the  caufe  of  the  Americans.  He  adhered  to  the  Crown. 


(      154     ) 


In  1778  he  refided  at  Flatbufli  on  Long  Ifland,  and  was  captured  by  Wil- 
liam Marriner,  of  Brunfwick,  and  carried  to  New  Jerfey  and  delivered  up  to 
General  Wafhington.  He  was  afterwards  exchanged,  and  in  the  war  at  the 
South  performed  moft  valuable  fervices  to  the  Royal  caufe.  In  the  faving  of 
Savannah  the  Britifli  forces  owed  much  to  his  /kill  and  ability,  and  we're  unan- 
imous in  their  acknowledgments  of  his  fervices,  while  the  French  officers 
declared  that  his  works  and  batteries  fprung  up  ever)1  night  like  champignons. 
General  Prevoft,  in  an  official  difpatch,  thus  wrote  :  "  I  would  mention  Cap- 
tain Moncrieffe,  commanding  engineer,  but  fincerely  fenfible  that  all  I  can 
exprefs  will  fall  greatly  ihort  of  what  that  gentleman  deferves,  not  only  on 
this  but  on  all  other  occasions,  I  (hall  only,  in  the  moft  earned  manner,  re- 
queft  your  Lordihip  taking  him  into  your  protection  and  patronage,  to  recom- 
mend him  to  his  Majefty  as  an  officer  of  long  fervice  and  moft  fingular  merit, 
affuring  you,  my  Lord,  from  my  own  politive  knowledge,  that  there  is  not  one 
officer  or  foldier  in  this  little  army,  capable  of  reflecting  or  judging,  who  will 
not  regard  as  perfonal  to  himfelf  any  mark  of  Royal  favour  gracioufly  conferred 
through  your  Lordihip  upon  Captain  Moncrieffe." 

Moncrieffe  planned  the  works  at  Charlefton  in  the  fiege  of  1780,  and 
no  language  can  exprefs  more  forcibly  than  that  of  the  Commander-in- 
Chief  (Sir  Henry  Clinton)  the  fenfe  which  he  entertained  of  his  very  ex- 
traordinary merit.  Thefe  are  his  words  :  "  But  to  Major  Moncrieffe  the 
commanding  engineer,  who  planned,  and  with  the  affiftance  of  fuch  capable 
officers  under  him,  conducted  the  liege  with  fo  much  judgment,  intrepidity 
and  laborious  attention,  I  wifli  to  render  a  tribute  of  the  very  higheft  applaufe 
and  moft  permanent  gratitude ;  perfuaded  that  far  more  flattering  commenda- 
tions than  I  can  beftow  will  not  fail  to  crown  fuch  rare  merit."  Major  Mon- 
crieffe was  not  more  happy  in  the  pofleflion  of  fuperior  talents  than  fortunate 
in  occafions  to  difplay  them.  The  fucceffive  fieges  of  Savannah  and  Charles- 
ton furniflied  him  with  opportunities  of  exemplifying  his  {kill  in  the  two  prin- 
cipal branches  of  his  profeffion — the  art  of  defence  and  that  of  attack.  In 
both,  his  mafterly  defigns  were  crowned  with  fuccefs ;  nor  is  it  eafy  to  deter- 
mine in  which  of  thefe,  his  great  attainments  in  his  profeffion,  (hone  with 
brighteft  luftre. 

But  at  the  evacuation  of  Charlefton  he  feems  to  have  been  guilty  of  an  a£l 


(     155     ) 

which  greatly  tarnifhed  his  military  reputation.  According  to  Ramfay,  up- 
wards of  eight  hundred  flaves,  who  had  been  employed  by  Moncrieffe,  as  engi- 
neer, were  fhipped  off  to  the  Weft  Indies,  as  was  faid  and  believed,  by  his 
direction,  and  for  his  perfonal  benefit.  The  unqualified  teftimonials  which  he 
received  from  General  Prevoft  and  Sir  Henry  Clinton  were  not  without  refults, 
fince  he  received  a  very  generous  donation  from  his  Royal  Mafter,  and  on  the 
27th  of  September,  1780,  was  commiffioned  Lieutenant-Colonel. 

Mrs.  Coghlan  fays  that  her  father  died  in  the  city  of  New  York,  on  the 
tenth  of  December,  1791,  but  in  the  "New  York  Journal  and  Patriotic 
Regifter,"  No.  2,619,  °f  Wednefday,  Dec.  II,  1791,  we  find  the  following 
notice  of  his  death  and  funeral : 

"Thomas  Moncrieffe,  late  Major  in  the  Britifh  fervice,  died  on  Friday, 
December  6,  1791,  fuddenly,  by  the  burfting  of  a  blood  veffel,  and  on  Sunday 
evening  following  his  remains  were  interred  in  Trinity  Church  Yard,  attended 
by  a  great  number  of  refpedtable  citizens." 

As  Mrs.  Coghlan  was  in  England  at  the  time  of  her  father's  deceafe,  it  is 
moft  likely  that  the  account  of  his  death  and  funeral  in  the  paper  above  men- 
tioned is  the  moft  reliable. 

(19.)  LORD  JEFFEREY  AMHERST,  fon  of  Jefferey  Amherft  of  Riverhead,  in 
Kent,  was  born  January  2.9,  1717 — received  his  enfign's  commifiion  in  1731. 

In  1758,  was  fent  to  America  as  Major-General  of  the  troops  deftined  for 
the  fiege  of  Louisburg.  He  contributed  materially  to  the  reduction  of  Canada, 
received  the  thanks  of  the  Houfe  of  Commons,  and  was  made  Knight  of 
Bath,  and  foon  after  was  appointed  Commander-in-Chief  in  America. 

He  returned  to  England  after  the  peace  in  1763,  where  he  received  the 
Governorfhip  of  Virginia.  A  mifunderftanding  with  the  King  (George  III.) 
was  the  caufe  of  his  fudden  difmiffal  from  the  Army,  but  in  a  few  months  he 
was  reinftated. 

In  1776,  he  was  created  Baron  Amherft  of  Holmefdale  in  the  County  of 
Kent.  In  1787  he  received  a  fecond  patent  of  nobility,  with  the  title  of 
Baron  Amherft  of  Montreal  in  Canada. 

On  the  22d  January,  1793,  he  was  again  appointed  to  the  command  of  the 
Army,  and  held  it  until  fucceeded  by  the  Duke  of  York,  Feb.  10,  1795. 

10 


(     '56     ) 

Lord  Amherft  died  at  his  feat  at  Montreal,  near  Seven  Oaks,  Kent,  on  the 
3d  Aug.,  1797,  in  the  Sift  year  of  his  age. 

(20.)  CHARLES  JAMES  Fox,  the  third  fon  of  Right  Hon.  Henry  Fox,  was 
born  January  24,  1749. 

In  1774,  he  oppofed  Lord  North's  Bofton  Port  Bill,  the  object  of  which 
was  to  deprive  that  harbour  of  its  privileges,  in  confequence  of  the  oppofition 
by  the  inhabitants  of  Bofton  to  the  tea  duty. 

This  was  his  firft  oppofition  to  North,  but  he  was  afterwards  unremitting 
in  his  oppofition,  and  contended  that  the  American  Colonies  ought  not  to  be 
taxed  without  being  reprefented. 

On  the  1 9th  March,  1782,  the  Miniftry  refigned — Fox  was  appointed  Sec- 
retary of  State  for  Foreign  Affairs,  and  immediately  fet  about  negotiating  for 
peace  with  America. 

He  died  Sept.  1 3th,  1806,  in  his  58th  year.  Sir  James  Mackintosh  has 
faid  of  him  as  an  orator,  "  that  he  poflefied  above  all  moderns  that  unifon  of 
reafon,  fimplicity  and  vehemence  which  formed  the  prince  of  orators.  He 
was  "  the  moft  Demofthenean  fpeaker  fince  the  days  of  Demofthenes."  His 
fpeeches  always  difplay  in  a  pre-eminent  degree  a  (enfe  of  the  importance  of 
principles. 

Fox's  fpeeches  were  collected  and  publiflied  in  fix  volumes,  with  a  (hort 
biographical  introduction  by  Lord  Erfkine,  in  1825. 

(ai.)  RICHARD  BRINSLEY  SHERIDAN  was  born  in  Dublin,  in  1751.  He  was 
placed  in  a  fchool  in  Dublin  when  feven  years  old,  and  was  regarded  by  his 
preceptor,  Samuel  Whyte,  "as  a  moft  impenetrable  dunce."  -Jn  1762  he 
was  fent  to  Harrow,  where  he  remained  until  his  1 8th  year,  and  during  the 
time  which  he  remained  there  was  confidered  a  fhrewd,  artful  and  fupercilious 
boy,  without  any  ftiining  accomplifhments  or  fuperior  learning.  Thence  he 
went  to  Bath,  became  acquainted  with  Mils  Linley,  a  young  and  beautiful 
finger,  and  to  fave  her  from  the  perfecutions  of  a  libertine  named  Mathews, 
he  fled  with  her  early  in  1772  to  France,  and  a  marriage  at  a  village  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Calais  was  the  confequence.  The  refult  was  two  duels  with 
Mathews,  growing  out  of  the  ftudied  infults  of  the  latter,  in  the  laft  of  which 
.Sheridan  was  wounded. 


(     '57     ) 

In  1773  he  entered  the  Middle  Temple  as  a  ftudent  of  law,  but  was  not 
called  to  the  Bar. 

On  the  1 7th  January,  1775,  "The  Rivals"  was  brought  out  "in  Covent 
Garden,  and  though  it  failed  the  firft  night,  fpeedily  became  the  univerfal 
favorite  it  has  ever  fince  remained.  It  was  followed  the  fame  year  by  the 
farce  of  "  St.  Patrick's  Day,"  and  the  comic  opera  of  "  The  Duenna."  In 
1776  he  became  one  of  the  proprietors  of  Drury  Lane.  In  the  following  year 
he  brought  out  "  The  School  for  Scandal,"  which  placed  him  at  the  head  of 
comic  dramatifts.  In  1799  he  wrote  a  monody  on  the  death  of  Garrick,  and 
the  farce  of  "The  Critic."  In  1780  he  was  eledted  a  member  of  Parlia- 
ment from  Stafford.  For  thirty-two  years  he  purfued  a  fplendid  parliamentary 
career.  One  of  his  greateft  efforts  was  his  fpeech  as  manager,  upon  the  im- 
peachment of  Warren  Haftings.  He  was  thrice  in  office,  for  fhort  periods, 
under  the  Rockingham  Coalition  and  Whig  adminiftrations.  His  profufe 
habits  involved  him  deeply  in  debt ;  the  deftrudlion  of  Drury  Lane  Theatre 
by  fire  contributed  to  his  ruin ;  his  failure  to  obtain  a  feat  in  parliament  de- 
prived him  of  protection  from  arreft;  his  perfon  was  more  than  once  feized 
by  the  harpies  of  the  law ;  and  amidft  difficulties  fears  and  forrows,  this  highly- 
gifted  man  funk  to  the  grave  on  Sunday,  the  7th  of  July,  1816.  On  the 
following  Saturday  the  funeral  took  place,  his  remains  having  been  removed 
to  the  houfe  of  his  friend,  Peter  Moore,  in  Great  George  Street,  Weftminfter. 
From  thence,  at  one  o'clock,  the  proceffion  moved  on  foot  to  the  Abbey, 
where,  in  the  only  fpot  in  Poet's  Corner  that  remained  unoccupied,  the  body 
was  interred,  and  the  following  fimple  infcription  marks  its  refting  place: 

RICHARD    BRINSLEY    SHERIDAN, 

BORN,     1751, 
DIED,    7TH    JULY,    l8l6. 

This  Marble  is  the  Tribute  of  an  Attached  Friend, 
PETER    MOORE. 

(22.)  COLONEL  MONCRIEFFE  was  killed  in  the  fortie  which  the  French 
Republicans  made  when  hemmed  up  in  Dunkirk  by  the  Duke  of  York's 
army  in  1793.  The  moft  authentic  accounts  of  the  time  ftate  the  manner  of 
his  exit  to  be  as  follows  :  The  uniform  of  the  Britifti  Engineers  was  fo  like 


158 


that  of  the  French  Republican  Army  in  1793,  that  the  officers  to  enable  their 
own  men  to  diftinguilh  them  wore  a  white  handkerchief  tied  round  their  arm. 
Colonel  Moncrieffe,  who  had  neglecled  this  precaution,  though  frequently  re- 
minded of  it,  was  taken  for  a  French  Democrat  by  the  Auftrians,  in  whofe 
hands  he  was  found  by  Colonel  St.  Leger  and  feveral  officers  of  the  guards, 
wounded  and  ftript.  It  is  generally  believed  that  his  death  was  occafioned  by 
this  miftake,  for  it  is  not  certain  that  he  fell  by  the  fire  of  the  enemy. 

(13.)  THOMAS  ERSKINE,  afterwards  Lord  Er/kine,  the  youngeft  fon  of  David 
Earl  of  Buchan,  was  born  in  1748.  He  entered  the  Navy  in  1764  as  mid- 
fliipman,  but  not  thinking  his  profpe&s  of  promotion  fufficiently  good  he 
accepted  a  commiffion  in  the  Army. 

In  1775  he  commenced  the  ftudy  of  the  law,  and  in  1778  was  called  to 
the  Bar.  His  practice  and  reputation  increafed  fo  very  rapidly  that  in  1783 
he  received  a  patent  of  precedence  at  the  fuggeftion  of  Lord  Mansfield  who 
then  prefided  in  the  Court  of  King's  Bench.  In  the  fame  year  he  entered 
Parliament.  In  the  Houfe  of  Commons  his  fuccess  was  not  great,  though 
his  fpeeches  would  appear  to  have  been  far  above  mediocrity.  In  the  fame  year 
alfo  he  was  made  Attorney-General,  an  appointment  which,  in  1794,  he  was 
called  upon  to  refign  in  confequence  of  his  refufmg  to  abandon  the  defence  of 
Thomas  Paine  when  he  was  profecuted  for  his  publication  —  "  The  Rights  of 
Man."  In  1802  he  was  made  Chancellor  of  the  Duchy  of  Cornwall,  and  in 
1  806  Lord  Chancellor,  and  raifed  to  the  Peerage  by  the  title  of  Baron  Erfkine 
of  Riftormel  Caftle  in  Cornwall.  He  remained  in  office  but  a  fhort  time,  and 
upon  the  dillblution  of  the  Miniftry  in  1807  retired  from  public  life.  In  his 
later  years  he  was  harrafied  by  pecuniary  embarraflments.  His  firft  wife  died 
in  1805,  and  an  ill-alTorted  fecond  marriage  increafed  his  domeftic  difquietudes 
and  injured  his  reputation.  His  later  years  were  marked  by  eccentricities 
which  feemed  to  indicate  mental  difeafe.  He  died  November  17,  1823. 


neiurn  ims  maienai  10  me  uorary 

from  which  it  was  borrowed. 


SEP06  1i 


OCT211988 

RPR  15  189 


f 


MAR  0  6  1981 


